After falling behind in the first inning, the VC softball team scored three unanswered runs to defeat Moorpark 3-1 Wednesday in a make-up contest at the VC Softball Complex. Ciana Garcia led the Pirates (21-5-1, 9-0) with three hits, including a double, and a pair of runs batted in. Jocelyn Ortega recorded three hits and Morgan Albertsen and Lauren Albrent each had a hit and scored a run. Ashlyn Flinchum allowed three hits and one run while striking out eight to earn the complete game victory in the circle.
Flinchum got off to an uncharacteristically slow start, issuing a pair of walks to open the game. She righted the ship to record a pair of strikeouts before Moorpark hit a single to score one run in the opening frame. The Pirate hurler issued another free pass and gave up a hit in the second before settling down for the final five innings.
Meanwhile, VC tied the score with a run in the bottom of the second. With two outs, Albertsen singled, the scored when Garcia followed with a double.
Ventura then took the lead with a run in the fourth inning. Mia Guerrero walked to open the frame, and Maggie Howe reached base on a fielder's choice in which pinch runner Alexis Carillo was forced out at second. Albertsen sacrificed Howe to second before Garcia hit an RBI single for a 2-1 Ventura advantage.
Albrent and Ortega led off the fifth with a pair of singles, with Albrent moving across to third base on the latter. Isabella Ayala then grounded out to second to score Albrent making it 3-1 for VC.
That was more than enough for Flinchum as she closed out the triumph retiring six of the final seven Raiders to come to the plate to secure the win.
Ventura next travels across the county on Thursday April 6 to complete the season series with the Raiders. Play begins in Moorpark at 2:30 pm.