SARATOGA -- No. 3 West Valley softball opened with a 5-0 lead and never looked back in a well-rounded victory against their local rivals, the San Jose City College Jaguars. The Vikings (27-2, 6-1 Coast) have continued their stellar start of the conference slate, taking down the Jaguars (10-17-1, 3-4 Coast) for the second straight time in the rivalry series in 5-2 fashion.

West Valley and San Jose City had nearly identical opening innings, as the Jaguars' Jaelynn Corona worked a one-out walk and West Valley's Raylene Cruz worked a two-out hit by pitch, but the two teams traded scoreless innings. Viking ace Ana Marquez continued that stretch in the top of the second, setting down the side in order while picking up her second strikout.

The Vikings drew first blood in the bottom of the second. After West Valley's leadoff batter was retired, freshman catcher Destiny Solis worked a ten-pitch walk and moved up a bag on a bunt single from Izzy Paksert. Centerfielder April Price blooped a ball into left-center, but the Jaguars couldn't field the high hop cleanly and Price slid into third with a two-run triple. Ella Moser followed with a single to push the Vikings' lead to three.

Following a scoreless top of the third from Marquez, West Valley added two in the bottom of the third, providing ample cushion for the Viking pitching staff. Aneesa Aguoin and Raylene Cruz led off the inning with a pair of singles, and Lexi Bojorquez-Nava doubled to left-center to bring home a run. Solis popped a ball just past the second base bag, and after the catch, Cruz deftly tagged up from second base to score some insurance.

The teams traded scoreless innings from then until the top of the fifth. San Jose City got its first two runners on off Marquez, then followed with a leadoff hit by pitch against Kaylee Kline to load the bases. A fielders' choice and an error pushed two runs home with still nobody out. 

Then came one of the cleanest defensive plays for the Vikings of the season. Corona hit a towering fly ball to left for Aguon, an infielder by trade, who made the catch and fired a strike home to nab another run. Kline followed with a strikeout to thwart any SJCC momentum.

Defense came into play again late for the Vikings. The first two batters reached against Kline, still in a three-run game, in the seventh. Ciara Donahue smoked a ball up the middle that Paskert, who also went 2-for-3 at the dish, made an all-out dive to her left to snag a ball on the ground. She then flipped with her glove to the second base bag where Temple was waiting. Her throw to first barely got the runner at first, but momentum cruised back to the Vikings.

"I read it up the middle," said Paskert, "I knew they had runners in scoring position. I was like, I have to get this ball. This could be a game changer if I miss this. I dove, and it found my glove, and I was able to flip it to Mo." 

Kline calmly struck out Ariana Vergara to end the game in favor of the Vikings. Interesting to note: after each of the momentum-inducing double plays from West Valley, Kline struck out the ensuing batter.

"It gives her a little more confidence," said Piatt, "[she knows] going to finish this."

Next up, the Vikings continue conference play with a bout against Monterey Peninsula on Tuesday.