Through an up and down game, the Pirate baseball team never gave up the fight, ultimately falling 12-7 to conference champion Oxnard College Friday in VC's season finale at Pirate Park. Freshman first baseman Codi Santana had three hits, including a pair of doubles, with two RBI while sophomore outfielder Bradley Fullerton had two hits with three RBI.
After Oxnard took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, the Pirates came back with three runs in the bottom of the second. With one out, Jordan Simon and Michael Volaski had consecutive singles to put runners on the corners. Volaski then stole second, and one out later, Coker singled in Simon. After Dylan Colman was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Fullerton came through with a big two-RBI double. The Pirates led 3-2.
The Condors came back with three runs in the top of the fourth inning, but VC responded in the fifth with a pair of scores. Fullerton began the frame with a walk, and scored on Santana's double. A groundout to the right side moved Santana to third, and one batter later, Simon singled to plate Santana. The game was tied 5-5.
OC took control of the game with a five-run seventh inning, but Ventura tried to mount a comeback with a pair of runs in the eighth. Pinch hitting for Adam Maciel, Josh Olson was hit by a pitch. Marcus Betancourt then pinch ran, and moved up to second on Ryan Coker singled him to second. Colman was also hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Fullerton scored Betancourt with a sacrifice fly. Santana then singled in Coker to make it a 10-7 score.
Oxnard added a pair of runs in the ninth inning to set the final score at 12-7.
The Pirates threw seven pitchers at the Condors in the game, but could not keep them close enough in the end. VC ends the season with a 9-27 record, 4-20 in the Western State Conference North Division.