Padilla tosses 3-hitter, spoiling Vaqueros’ season finale

Anissa Padilla shut down SBCC's offense for the second time in two weeks on Tuesday with a three-hitter that propelled Ventura to an 8-0, five-inning softball win at Pershing Park.

Padilla, a 5-3 sophomore, also pitched a three-hitter against the Vaqueros in a 10-2 win on April 10. SBCC lost its third straight game to a left-handed hurler and is 1-4 vs. southpaws this year.

Ventura (28-9, 12-2) won its seventh straight game and finished second in the WSC North to No. 3 Bakersfield (13-1). The Vaqueros took fourth with records of 15-19 and 7-7.

Four Vaquero sophomores were honored in their last appearance at The Persh – Isabella Gregson, Sloane Greeley, Calista Wendell and Jasmine Manson.

Wendell got the loss, going 4.2 innings and giving up eight runs (five earned) on eight hits. She walked five and didn't have a strikeout. Ventura is No. 5 in the state with a .389 batting average.

Madison Foster singled to right to lead off the bottom of the first and finished as the Vaqueros' top hitter at .337. Janet Salas singled in the second and Gregson followed with a single down the third-base line. Padilla retired the last 10 batters in order.

The Pirates scored three unearned runs in the first inning with the Vaqueros committing back-to-back errors. They got RBI singles from Adriana Clemons and Arianna Rivas in the second. With runners on first and third and two outs, Rivas took off for second and the catcher Salas threw to the second baseman. Kayla Garcia broke from third and beat the return throw for a steal of home that made it 6-0.

"Those back-to-back errors in the first really killed our momentum," said first-year coach Justine Bosio. "Their pitcher is good. Left-handers are always tougher because you don't see them as often as you do right-handers. It kind of comes down to trying to make the adjustments the best you can to try to better your team offensively.

"I'm really proud of the girls. Finishing fourth was my goal for the year, one spot higher than last year. With basically a brand-new staff and a brand-new team, the season went really well. I can't believe it's over … it was a fun and good year."