The VC softball team moved into first place in the Western State Conference standings Thursday with a 7-0 shutout victory over Hancock. Savanna Higgins was 2-3 at the plate, including a home run, with two runs batted in and a run scored while Baylany Magana limited the Bulldogs to three hits with eight strikeouts over seven innings to earn the win. VC's win coupled with Santa Barbara's loss on Thursday puts the Pirates alone atop the WSC standings.
Ventura built their lead slowly with runs in the first three innings of the game.
Ba. Magana scored on a pair of errors in the bottom of the first after walking and stealing second base.
Bryanne Magana tripled to lead off the second and scored on sister Baylany's sacrifice fly to centerfield for the 2-0 advantage.
In the third, Madison Shay singled and stole second before scoring when Higgins raced around the diamond on an inside-the-park home run. VC led 4-0 at that point.
Meanwhile, Ba. Magana was mowing down opposition batters, recording six straight outs to begin the game before giving up a bunt single in the third. She retired six more consecutively before AHC broke through with a two-out single in the top of the fifth.
The Pirates added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophia Valencia and Br. Magana each singled before Erika Sanchez belted a three-run home run to set the final margin.
Ba. Magana yielded a walk and a single to led off the top of the seventh before retiring three straight Bulldogs, the final two on punch-outs.