BASEBALL: After scoring three runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth, the Pirate baseball team made their lead hold up through nine as VC (3-1) defeated Cerritos 7-4 Tuesday afternoon in Ventura's 2014 home opener at Pirate Park. Logen Letofsky was solid in his first collegiate start, pitching six innings and allowing tone run on three hits. He walked three batters with three strikeouts in picking up the win. Tyler Watson paced the offense with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run scored.
The Pirates were held hitless for the first two innings of the game before breaking out to score three runs in the third, two runs in the fourth inning. Cerritos narrowed the score to 5-3 before the Pirates added two runs in the eighth inning. the falcons responded with a run in the top of the ninth, but VC stranded runners at first and third to pick up the victory.
After Letofsky gave up a single run in the first six frames, a trio of Pirate relievers allowed three runs over the next 2.2 innings. Closer Steven Martinez struck out the Cerritos DH with runners on the corners to notch his second save of the season in his third appearance.
Watson led the offense, but six other Pirates also collect hits in the game. Harrison Crawford added a two-RBI single, fMichael Volaski picked up another two-RBI single and Dylan Colman added two runs scored, one RBI and a stolen base. Garret Serino recorded a single and scored a run while Brian Magana knocked out an RBI single.
The Pirates will take the road again on Thursday Feb. 6 to play No. 8-ranked Mt. San Antonio College for a 6:00 pm night game in Walnut before returning home on Saturday Feb. 8 to host the Mounties for a 1:00 pm contest at Pirate Park.