Kayla Garcia smacked a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to power the Pirate softball team to a 7-5 victory over visiting Cerritos on Monday afternoon. In the make-up from a March 3 rain out, Garcia provided the big hit in a four-run sixth inning for the Pirates (25-9, 9-2)as they turned a 4-3 deficit into a 7-4 advantage. Garcia was 3-4 on the day, including the big home run, with four runs batted in while Adriana Clemons was also 3-4 with an RBI. Anissa Padilla had eight strike outs over seven innings to pick up the win in the circle.
Ventura took a 2-0 lead with pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning before the Falcons came back with four runs in the top of the fourth. The Pirates halved the Cerritos advantage with a run in the fifth inning setting the stage for the sixth-inning comeback.
Brittney Banales led off the sixth with a double, and she was sacrificed to third by Danielle Carmona. Kaylee Neal had an RBI single to score Banales, and Clemons followed with a base hit. Garcia then came up and hit her three-run home run to put the Pirates ahead 7-4.
Cerritos scored once in the top of the seventh inning for the final 7-5 margin.
Neal finished the game batting 2-3 with an RBI and Banales was 2-3, including her sixth-inning double.
Ventura returns to Western State Conference North Division play on Tuesday April 17 hosting Oxnard College in the team's final regular-season home appearance. First pitch is slated for 2:00 pm.