Hancock Softball Drops WSC Showdown with Ventura 3-1

Ventura pitcher Anissa Padilla struck out eight and allowed just two hits to continue her mastery of the Bulldogs as the Pirates defeated the Allan Hancock College softball team 3-1 on Thursday in a key Western State Conference battle in Santa Maria. The Bulldogs and Pirates, who shared the conference title in 2017, both finished the day 7-2 in Western State Conference games. Hancock fell to 16-9-1 overall and lost for the second time this season to the Pirates. Ventura, ranked No. 10 in the South Region, improved to 20-7 overall.

Hancock took the early lead in the first inning against Padilla. Crystal Gonzalez struck out swinging, but the pitch got away from Ventura catcher Danielle Carmona. Her throw to first went down the line, allowing Gonzalez to race around to third base. Padilla retired the next two batters, but Bailey Killough delivered a two-out RBI-single to score Gonzalez and give Hancock a 1-0 lead.

Ventura went to work in the second against Killough. With one down, Arianna Rivas doubled and scored on a double form Padilla to tie it at 1-1. Padilla moved to third on a passed ball and later scored on a run-scoring single from Carmona to give the Pirates a 2-1 lead. Ventura added another run in the third to build a 3-1 advantage.

Padilla, who struck out 10 Bulldogs in a complete game win over Hancock last month, kept Hancock off the base paths. She allowed a double to Sabrina Ornelas in the fifth, but kept her from scoring.

Rivas went 4-for-4 to lead Ventura's nine-hit attack against Killough. The sophomore and 2017 WSC Pitcher of the Year took the loss despite allowing just three runs in seven innings. Killough allowed nine hits, issued six walks and struck out two Pirates.

Padilla, a southpaw pitcher, allowed one unearned run and two hits with eight strikeouts. She walked one batter.

Hancock was scheduled to host Taft in a non-conference game on Saturday at noon. However, due to the wet forecast, the game has been rescheduled for Friday, April 13 at 1 p.m. Hancock will travel to Mt. San Antonio College on Sunday to play Southwestern at 1 p.m. and Mt. SAC, the No. 2 ranked team in California, at 3 p.m.