The Ventura College Pirates softball team had the Oxnard College Condors begging for mercy, as the Pirates stomped the Condors 11-2 in five innings. 

The Pirates started scoring early and never looked back. In the first inning, the Pirates scored three runs of an Alina Flowers single and a Jennifer Juarez triple that scored two runs. Another triple by Vanessa Barretto scored three runs giving the Pirates a 6-0 lead.

The Pirates had a huge fourth inning, adding the final five runs to take an 11-2 lead.

The game ended early because of the mercy rule; if a team is up by eight or more, the game will be called after the fifth inning if the deficit isn’t brought down to seven runs, thus ending the game after five innings. 

In four innings, the Pirates had 16 hits, including seven in the fourth.

The Pirates’ hitting was complemented with strong pitching from Pirates pitcher Angela Ayala, who pitched four scoreless innings.

Head coach Sue Johnson was happy with Ayala’s pitching performance.

“She did good, she did a great job,” Johnson said. “She came back from an injury, worked hard, and played.”

Currently, the Pirates control their own destiny, and are in first place of the Western State Conference Gold Division. The Pirates are one game ahead of the Raiders, and the two teams will meet in a doubleheader next Tuesday, April 20 at Ventura to decide the conference champ. 

The Pirates hope to prevent the Moorpark College from winning their third consecutive conference crown when they play their final regular season games in a doubleheader at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. next Tuesday.