Ventura Softball Has Nine Selected All-WSC

After a dominant 14-1 2023 Western State Conference North Division season, the Pirate softball team had nine players selected All-WSC, as named by the conference coaches. Ashlyn Flinchum and Lauren Albrent headlined the awards winning Pitcher of the Year and Player of the Year, respectively, while Isabella Ayala, Isabel Gallegos, Ahlyssa Guzman and Jocelyn Ortega joined them on the first team All-WSC list.

Flinchum, a St. Bonaventure High School product, was a dominant force in the circle for the WSC North champions. She started 12 of VC's 15 conference games with an 11-1 record and a WHIP of .916. She gave up 15 earned runs over 82.1 innings for an ERA of 1.28. She also recorded 106 strikeouts averaging 9 K's per seven innings of work in leading VC. For good measure, Flinchum posted a .974 fielding percentage with 27 assists and 10 put outs against one error. Also, she batted .333 at the plate with eight runs batted in in 15 games.

Albrent, meanwhile, was dominant offensively, batting .400 with a .680 slugging percentage and a 1.144 OPS. She led the team with 20 hits, three triples, a pair of home runs and seven stolen bases in WSC play, knocking in 18 runs. Defensively at third base, The Buena High School alumna posted a .852 fielding percentage in 20 chances in the hot corner with seven put outs.

Ayala, a graduate of Santa Paula High School, was the Pirates' rock behind the plate, posting a 1.000 fielding percentage and allowing just two passed balls while catching all 15 conference games. At the plate she hit .362 with 17 hits, including a team-best five doubles, with 14 RBI.

Gallegos, meanwhile, was tops on the team with a .500 batting average. The Foothill Tech product had 17 hits in 15 games with four doubles, two triples and two home runs. She had a team-high .512 OBP, .868 SLG and a 1.38 OPS. She was also solid defensively in centerfield with a .875 fielding percentage.

Shortstop Guzman produced an .893 fielding percentage defensively with 11 assists and 14 put outs with only three errors in the 15 WSC contests. The Santa Paula High School alumna batted .346 with a .414 OBP in her second spot in the line-up, scoring 14 runs.

Ortega, playing second base, hit .354 with an OBP of .426. Defensively, the Buena High School graduate had a .980 fielding percentage with 18 assists and 30 put outs against only one error.

Pitcher/outfielder Morgan Albertsen (Nordhoff HS) earned second team All-WSC honors, as did Mia Guerrero (Santa Clara HS) at first base and outfielder Ciana Garcia (Santa Paula HS).

Ventura won its first WSC North crown for the first time since the 2017 season, and won the title outright for the first time since 2012. They advanced to the Super Regional round of the Southern California Regionals for just the second time in program history.