Softball Completes Undefeated Weekend at Tournament

The VC softball team completed an undefeated weekend at the Mt. San Jacinto Tournament Sunday with a shutout and a forfeit. The Pirates (8-7) defeated College of the Desert -0 in five innings before claiming a forfeit victory over Mt. San Jacinto when the Eagles did not have enough players to field a team to start the game. Lauren Saenz was 2-3 at the plate, including a triple, with a run scored and four runs batted in while Abby Strong also had two hits, two RBI and two runs scored. Kat Tafoya pitched five shutout innings to pick up the win.

Against Desert, VC took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Strong singled to lead things off and stole second. Courtney Terrazas walked, then Saenz hit an RBI single to score Strong.

The Pirates followed with a six-run third frame.  Cassidy Craig led off with a single before Jessica Mendoza and Tafoya each drew walks to load the bases. Strong followed with a single to score Craig and Mendoza before Tafoya was thrown out at second base.  Terrazas drew another base on balls, and Aleska Page reached base on an error to re-load the diamond. Saenz then hit a bases-clearing triple for three more RBI. Isabel Gallegos followed with a sacrifice fly to score Saenz and Ventura led the Roadrunners 7-0.

Mendoza singled to lead off the fourth inning, and two outs later she raced around the bases to cross the plate on Terrazas' RBI double. Ventura led 8-0 at the end of four innings, and held fast in the fifth to complete the mercy-rule win.

In the Pirates' tournament finale, the host team did not have enough players to begin the game, thus giving VC a 4-3 forfeit victory.

Ventura next travels to Los Angeles Mission College for a game on Tuesday Feb. 18.