Pirates Fall in Extra-Inning Thriller

After spotting visiting Los Angeles Mission College a run in the top of the first inning, the Pirate softball team scored in the bottom of the sixth to force extra innings before falling to the Eagles 3-1 in a thriller Tuesday afternoon at the VC Softball Complex. Jessica Mendoza tripled in the sixth and scored the game-tying run, and also pitched eight solid innings for VC (4-4). Kali Brown and Adriana Clemons each had two hits in the game.

The Eagles jumped on the Pirates right off the bat as they tripled and singled for a 1-0 lead two batters into the game. Mendoza and the Pirate defense extinguished the rally with a double-play and a ground out to limit the damage.

Ventura then spent the better part of the afternoon trying to get that run back. They were unable to capitalize in the second inning when Serrina Cabral reached base on a one-out error, and Mendoza followed with a walk, nor were they able to take advantage of Brown's one-out single in the third. Marisa Felix and Cabral opened the fourth frame with back-to-back singles, but two force outs at third base and a line out to the shortstop ended that VC threat. Brown and Clemons each singled in the fifth inning, as well, but could not find their way around the diamond.

Finally, Ventura broke through in the sixth inning. Mendoza had a one-out triple, then Kayla Garcia followed with an RBI single to tie the score.

Meanwhile, the Pirate defense had a solid outing as Mendoza scattered two hits between the second and seventh innings.

In the top of the eighth, LA Mission broke through with a single and triple for the go-ahead run, then followed with an insurance run on an error after a fielder's choice fo rthe final 3-1 margin.

The Pirates will host Antelope Valley on Thursday Feb. 21 at 2:00 pm in a make-up of an earlier rain-out with the Marauders.