The Pirate softball team had its 14-game Western State Conference winning streak snapped 2-1 on Wednesday against Allan Hancock College at the VC Softball Complex. Isabel Gallegos had two hits, including a seventh-inning triple with a run scored for Ventura (26-7-1, 12-1) and Ashlyn Flinchum scattered five hits and allowed two runs, one earned, and struck out five from the circle in the setback.
It was exactly one year ago, April 19, 2022, that the Pirates last dropped a conference contest, a loss at Moorpark. They won their final two WSC games a year ago and rattled off 12 in a row this year before Wednesday's defeat.
The tone was set early in the game between the conference's two top teams. VC's Ciana Garcia led off the bottom of the first with a triple, but was thrown out trying to reach home.
The teams had a scoreless tie after one inning, and it lasted until the Bulldogs scored twice in the top of the fourth on a hit batter, an error, and a two-RBI triple.
The Pirates finally threatened again in the bottom of the seventh. Gallegos led off with a triple and scored on Jocelyn Ortega's three-base hit. The tying run was stranded at third, however, as AHC had a diving catch in right, and jumping catch at short, and another fly ball out in right to seal the game to give Ventura its first WSC setback.
Despite the loss, VC has still clinched the WSC title outright. They lead Hancock by 2.5 games with two conference contests remaining. The Pirates next host LA Pierce on Thursday April 20 at 2:30 pm at the VC Softball Complex in their final regular season home game of the season.