Oxnard College has hired assistant coach Allen Prieto as its third softball coach.

Prieto succeeds his former head coach Paul Garziano, who resigned after four seasons in charge.

The Condors were 65-76 in Garziano's four years, including third-place finishes in 2009 and 2010.

Oxnard College softball player Janai Shaw is this week's Western State Conference Athlete of the Week.

The sophomore from Pacifica High was 3 for 4 with two home runs, three runs and two RBIs in a 11-8 loss March 27 at Hancock and pitched a shutout against Cuesta Thursday, when she tripled and scored the only run of the game.

It's time to pay some attention to the Ventura College softball team, who have pushed its winning steak to 12 games Tuesday with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Cuesta.

"We're doing all right.," said Ventura coach Sue Johnson.

The Pirates (19-3) haven't lost since Feb. 18 to build a three-game lead in the Western State Conference's Gold Division. Their three losses have come by a combined four runs.

"So far so good," said Johnson.

Sophomore Teresa Lemos, who earned VC and WSC Athlete of the Week honors last week, is 15-2 with a 0.78 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 106 1/3 innings on the mound. The Rio Mesa High product is also hitting .438 with four doubles, seven triples and a team-high 26 RBIs.

Three other Pirates are hitting in the .400s, including sophomore infielder Raelene Moreno, who is hitting .424 with five home runs and 26 RBIs.

The Pirates, who are seventh in Southern California in RPI, put their winning streak on the line this weekend by hosting the Ventura Spring Games. Six different conferences are represented in the field, including two-time state champion and state No. 2 Cypress (20-4), former No. 1-ranked Canyons (23-2) and all three county programs.

"We have some quality teams in the tournament," said Johnson. "It's good preparation for the end of the season. We're looking forward to some good games."

VC will host Santa Ana (16-9) and Antelope Valley (12-10) Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively, as well as Mount San Jacinto (8-17) and Cypress Sunday at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., respectively.

Led by slugger Janai Shaw, third baseman Dani Hernandez and pitcher Heather Bacon, Oxnard (9-13) faces Mount San Jacinto and Cypress Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Moorpark (8-17-1), paced by slugging catcher Heaven Silveira, who already has five home runs this season, and speedster Amanda Chatman, faces Santa Ana Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

The majority of the local selections on the All-Western State Conference Gold Division softball first team were Ventura College freshmen.

Pitcher Teresa Lemos won 11 of 13 starts down the stretch as Ventura clinched a postseason berth by winning 13 of its last 14 games of the regular season. The Rio Mesa High product finished her first season fourth in the state with a 0.72 ERA. She was 13-9 and struck out 138 in 154 1/3 innings.

Raelene Moreno gave VC bite in the middle of its lineup, playing both in the infield and behind the plate. The Pacifica High product hit .317, leading the team in doubles (eight), home runs (four) and walks (20).

Outfielder Danielle Markmann set the table as Ventura's leadoff hitter. The Buena High product led the team in batting average (.350) and runs scored (25).

Another freshman, pitcher Joanna Boicourt, led Moorpark College both on the mound and at the plate. Pitching all but 10 innings on the season, the Hueneme High product was 17-14 with a 2.80 ERA. She also led the team in batting average (.437), home runs (three) and runs scored (23).

Oxnard College sophomore Brystal Hood completed a productive two-year career with a first-team selection. The Buena High product hit .380, leading the team in home runs (four) and RBIs (26).

Four more freshmen populated the All-WSC Gold second team, including Moorpark's frosh trio of first baseman Jennifer Moreno, infielder Nadia Lomeli and outfielder Samantha Alcarez. Ventura freshman outfielder Jacqueline Dickson and Oxnard sophomore infielder Priscilla Garcia were also second-team selections.

Moorpark catcher Taylor Neumann was named the Player of the Year of the Western State Conference's Gold Division. The sophomore from Moorpark High hit .353 with six home runs and 36 RBIs.

Moorpark's Kelly Eder was named the Pitcher of the Year. A freshman from Simi Valley High, Eder was 17-13 with a 2.63 ERA.

Ventura's Sue Johnson was named Coach of the Year as the Pirates edged Moorpark by one game in the WSC Gold race to win its fifth conference title in 11 years.

The All-WSC Gold first team included first baseman Shianne Sharp, third baseman Vanessa Barretto and center fielder Sabrina Gonzalez of Ventura; third baseman Rebecca Grant of Moorpark; and pitcher Michelle Getman and shortstop Priscilla Garcia of Oxnard.

The All-WSC Gold second team included catcher Julie Cortez and shortstop Alina Flowers of Ventura; outfielder Laura Perry of Moorpark; and first baseman Jessica Shaw and outfielder Brystal Hood of Oxnard.

The Moorpark College and Oxnard College softball teams swept doubleheaders against Central Coast opposition to keep the pressure on first-place

Sophomore first baseman Bryanne Schwartz was 4 for 5 with 10 RBIs as Moorpark swept visiting Hancock 5-4 and 15-2, including a grand slam that broke open the second game, as the Raiders (18-15, 11-4) moved to within a game of first-place Ventura (12-3) with three games to play.

Taylor Neumann was 3 for 6 with five runs scored on the day. Rebecca Grant's RBI double plated Neumann, who had doubled, for the game-winning run in the fifth inning of the first game.

Kelly Eder (17-10) allowed just eight hits over 12 innings to pick up a both wins for Moorpark .

Michelle Getman pitched a two-hit shutout in the 5-0 win and Priscilla Garcia went 3 for 4, scored three runs and pitched the final two innings to pick up her fourth save in the 6-4 win as Oxnard swept Cuesta for the first time in San Luis Obispo.

Jessica Alcala was 2 for 4 with a triple in the first game and Brystal Hood was 2 for 4 with a solo homer in the second game as the Condors (21-13, 11-6) moved past Cuesta (16-20-1, 9-6) into third place.

Ventura (25-11, 12-3) hosts Oxnard Thursday and Moorpark in Tuesday's season-ending doubleheader.

Tue., April 6 scores
Moorpark 8, Santa Barbara City 7
Santa Barbara City 10, Moorpark 2
Oxnard 5, Los Angeles Pierce 0
Oxnard 6, Los Angeles Pierce 2
Hancock 8, Ventura 7
Ventura 8, Hancock 1

Thur., April 8 scores
Moorpark 8, Los Angeles Pierce 0
Oxnard 9, Hancock 1
Ventura 8, Cuesta 2

Fri., April 9 scores
Moorpark 6, Pasadena City 4

Sat., April 10 scores
Santa Barbara City 7, Los Angeles Valley 2
East Los Angeles 4, Santa Barbara City 3
Mount San Antonio 13, Cuesta 0
Cuesta 14, Bakersfield 3

Standings thru April 11
Conference Overall
Team W-L GB W-L
Ventura 12-3 -- 25-11-1
Cuesta 9-4 2.0 16-18-1
Moorpark 9-4 2.0 17-15
Oxnard 9-6 3.0 18-13
S. Barbara 6-7 5.0 20-14
Hancock 3-12 9.0 3-17-1
LA Pierce 0-14 11.5 0-27

Monday schedule
Ventura at Pasadena City

Tuesday schedule
Hancock at Moorpark (DH)
Oxnard at Cuesta (DH)
Santa Barbara City at Los Angeles Pierce (DH)

Thursday schedule
Oxnard at Ventura
Cuesta at Moorpark
Santa Barbara City at Hancock

Tue., April 20 schedule
Moorpark at Ventura (DH)
Los Angeles Pierce at Hancock (DH)
Cuesta at Santa Barbara City (DH)

END OF REGULAR SEASON

Trailing 2-0 in the sixth inning, the first-place Ventura College softball team extended its lead in the Western State Conference's Gold Division to two games by scoring eight runs in the final two innings of an 8-2 win over Cuesta in San Luis Obispo Thursday afternoon.

Sabrina Gonzalez slugged a two-run homer, Vannessa Barretto was 2 for 3 with an RBI, Shianne Sharpe was 3 for 4 with an RBI and Alina Flowers had two RBIs as the Pirates (24-11, 11-3) scored three times in the sixth inning and five more times in the seventh.

Angela Ayala (5-0) allowed just four hits, backed by Gonzalez's diving, run-saving catch in left center field and Flowers' run-saving backhand play deep in the hole in the fifth and six innings, respectively.

Cuesta (15-17-1) fell to 9-4 in division play, two games behind Ventura.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE SOFTBALL

Moorpark 8, Los Angeles Pierce 0: Arianna Drulias went 2 for 2 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored as the Raiders (16-15, 9-4) rolled into a second-place tie with Cuesta in five innings.

Oxnard 9, Hancock 1: Michelle Getman pitched a one-hitter, striking out three to improve to 10-4. Jessica Shaw went 2 for 2. The Condors (19-13, 9-6) drew 10 walks and were hit by four pitches.

Trailing 9-2 after four innings, Brystal Hood spurred a nine-run fifth inning with a two-run home run as the Oxnard College softball team came from behind to beat host Santa Barbara City College, 13-9, Thursday afternoon.

Priscilla Garcia (3-2) earned the win with six strong innings after starter Michelle Getman left with a leg injury.

Lindsey Herrera was 4 for 5 for Oxnard, which leapfrogged the Vaqueros (17-12, 5-6) into fourth place in the Western State Conference's Gold Division.

Ventura 14, L.A. Pierce 0:Ashley Dasnoit went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, Shiane Sharpe was 3 for 3 with two RBIs, Vannessa Barretto was 3 for 3 with an RBI and pitcher Jenn Jurarez pitched a two-hitter as first-place Ventura (22-10) improved to 9-2 in WSC Gold play.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASEBALL

Ventura 8, Los Angeles Valley 7: Derek Ring was 2 for 5 with a run scored, A.J. Gallardo was 2 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored and Jeremy Dann hit a home run for the host Pirates (10-12).

Moorpark 8, Porterville 0: Brett Hockenberry went 4 for 5 with an RB, Michael Bonenfant went 3 for 5 with three RBIs and Rob Toczynski went 2 for 4 for the host Raiders (8-16-1).

Strong pitching helped key a two-game sweep for the Ventura College softball team over host Oxnard College on Tuesday.

Crystal Bingham allowed just four hits and one run to lead a 3-1 victory, and Janessa Pulido pitched a six-hit shutout in a 4-0 victory as the Pirates (18-7, 7-1) moved into sole possession of first place in the Western State Conference's Gold Division.

Down 1-0 with two outs and two strikes in the seventh inning, Alina Flowers tied the first game with an RBI triple to spur Ventura's game-winning three-run seventh inning after Janelle Garcia's RBI single gave Oxnard a 1-0 lead after six innings.

In the second game, Sabrina Gonzalez had two hits and two RBIs, and Vanesa Barretto and Shianne Sharpe each had two hits and an RBI.

Michelle Getman pitched well for Oxnard (13-12, 4-5), but absorbed a pair of losses.

BOX SCORES

Ventura 3, Oxnard 1
WSC Gold (Game 1)
Ventura 000 000 3--3 6 1
Oxnard 000 001 0--1 5 1
Bingham and Cortez; Getman and Tooley. W -- Bingham (8-1). L -- Getman. 2B -- Ventura: Flowers. 3B -- Ventura: Flowers.
Team records -- Ventura 17-7, 6-1 WSC Gold; Oxnard 13-11, 4-4.

Ventura 4, Oxnard 0
WSC Gold (Game 2)
Ventura 110 020 0--4 10 2
Oxnard 000 000 0--0 7 2
Pulido and Cortez; Getman, Garcia (3), Getman (5) and Tooley. W -- Pulido. L -- Getman.
Team records -- Ventura 18-7, 7-1 WSC Gold; Oxnard 13-12, 4-5.

The spring season arrived Tuesday with two road wins by two of the county's softball teams.

Brittany Alfino went 4 for 4 with two RBIs and two stolen bases, Jamie Yaller went 4 for 5. Taylor Neumann went 2 for 4 with two doubles as the Moorpark College softball team opened the season with a 7-2 win over host Rio Hondo Tuesday afternoon

Pitchers Bonnie Ward and Kelly Eder combined for five strikeouts and allowed two hits and two runs for Moorpark (1-0).

Demi Meza hit a home run in the fifth inning and Courtney Checky allowed three hits, three walks and struck out three in a complete game effort as the Oxnard College softball team defeated host Chaffey, 7-4, Tuesday afternoon.

Newbury Park resident Paul Garziano has taken over the Oxnard College softball program, according to former Oxnard athletic director Tim Harrison.

He takes over from George Peraza, who did such an excellent job in starting up the program from scratch. Oxnard was 27-23 last season and made its first appearance in the Southern California regional playoffs.

Click on the jump for the news release from Oxnard College.