A long day became longer for the Ventura College baseball team as they let a 4-1 advantage slip away in the seventh inning, then lost 5-4 in 17 innings Thursday against Cuesta College at Pirate Park. Robert Stephan had three hits and scored a run to lead VC. The game was the longest in VC history, besting last year's 16-inning affair with Cuesta.
With the bases loaded in the second inning, Ryan Coker reached base on an error that scored Codi Santana. On the next batter, Bradley Fullerton came in to score on a blak, giving Ventura a 2-0 lead.
The Couagrs came back with one run in the top of the fourth before the Pirates scored two more in the bottom half of the frame. Simon led off the inning with a walk, and came around to score, as did Stephan, who singled and scored on Michael Volaski's sacrifice fly.
Cuesta came back to tie the game at 4-4 in the seventh ining, and that is where the score stayed for 10 more innings until Cuesta finally broke through with three runs to tie. The score remained for 10 more innings until Cuesta crossed the plate once in the top fo the 17th for the win.
Jackson Simonsgaard started on the hill, giving up four runs, three earned, as he pitched into the seventh inning. Taylor Campos came on in relief, throwing nearly seven innings, allowing no runs and only five hits. Alex Van Es threw three innings of scoreless baseball before the Cougars plated the winning run.
Tony Fonzo had a pair of hits, including a double for Ventura.
The Pirates will look to rebound, hosting Santa Barbara on Saturday April 18. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.