Led Again By Medrano, Helmuth, Softball Blanks Ventura

Shortstop Kaylee Medrano slugged her third home run and Austyn Helmuth pitched her third shutout as the pair continue to shine for the Pasadena City College softball team in a 7-0 victory over Ventura Friday at Robinson Park.

PCC upped its record to 17-9 while Ventura is 15-13. 

Medrano, who batted 3-for-4 with three RBI, drove a pitch over the centerfield fence for a 2-run shot in the second inning. In the first, her infield single scored third baseman Samantha Diaz, who ripped a ground-rule double to right, for the first of four runs in the frame. Medrano later scored on a wild pitch. An Olivia Nanez groundout and a Gabi Perez sacrifice bunt also produced RBI as PCC led 4-0 after one inning.

Diaz had a perfect day, going 2-for-2 and twice being plunked by pitches. She scored three runs. Nanez, the team's rightfielder, was 1-for-3 with two RBI.

Helmuth again was brilliant as she stranded eight Ventura baserunners on base to go the 7-inning, complete-game distance for the eighth time this year. The freshman walked only one and hit one batter while striking out three. Helmuth worked her way out of a 1st-and-third jam in the first, a second-and-third situation in the second and a runner on third again in the sixth without surrendering a run. She is 7-5 in the circle with a 1.60 ERA. She has not allowed an earned run in her last 14 innings of work. The team has not allowed an earned run in 21 straight innings overall during a 3-game win streak.

Medrano raised her team-leading batting average to .415. She also tops the team in on-base percentage (.570), slugging percentage (.660), RBI (18, tied with teammate Nathalia Velasquez), walks (17), hit by pitches (six), sacrifice bunts (eight), and sacrifice flies (three). This month, Medrano's bat is particuliarly on fire with a .586 mark (17-for-29), 14 of her RBI, and all three of her home runs. PCC is 8-1 this season at its off-campus home diamond--Robinson Park--and she is batting .600 in those games.

"Our team is finding ways to compete and win games," said PCC head coach Monica Tantlinger. "We have had some great outings in the circle and some solid defense to keep us in ball games. When that happens, it gives us an opportunity for timely hits and we have been cashing in."

In the seventh, Diaz and Medrano hooked up on a rare 5-6 lineout as Ventura leadoff hitter Kali Brown ripped a shot off the glove of Diaz playing in front of the third base bag and Medrano drifted over to catch the deflection for the putout. 

On Saturday, Mar. 30, the Lancers will play on the road v. Glendale College at the Glendale Sports Complex in a 5 p.m. first pitch.