The Ventura College softball team scored one in the first and two in the third and made it hold up in their 6-3 victory over Los Angeles Valley College Saturday morning in Valley Glen. Jessica Mendoza pitched four innings, giving up a pair of runs in picking up the win while Kat Tafoya pitched the final three frames with seven strikeouts for the save. Cassidy Craig, Jessica Mendoza and Abby Strong all had three hits in the 14-hit attack for the Pirates (11-7), who posted their seventh straight triumph.
VC took the 1-0 lead in the top of the first and expanded it with a pair of scores in the third. LA Valley countered with two runs in the bottom half of the third inning to close the gap. The Pirates put the game away with a three-run seventh inning before allowing a run to the Monarchs in the final at bat.
Craig was 3-4 on the day and Mendoza was 3-3 with a pair of doubles. Strong was also 3-4 with two runs batted in.
The Pirates open Western State Conference North Division play on Thursday march 5 at home against Los Angeles Pierce. First pitch is slated for 2:30 pm at the VC Softball COmplex.