After falling behind 5-2 after four innings, the Pirate baseball team plated nine unanswered runs to post an 11-6 season-opening victory at Bakersfield Friday afternoon. Centerfielder Elijah Alexander scored three runs on the day with one hit and a stolen base. Chris McKee scored twice and picked up a pair of hits and Bryson Wallet also scored two runs with a hit for the Pirates (1-0). Kodi Koorndyk picked up the win on the mound as he and six other relievers threw seven shutout innings against the Renegades.
VC starting pitcher Austin Rubick had four strikeouts in his two innings of work before giving way to the bullpen. Baylor Mitchell, Devon Lindley, David Hughes, Koorndyk, Jackson Hickert, Brent Dickey and Taylor Campos each pitched one inning of scoreless relief. On the day, Pirate pitching limited BC to five hits and six K's.
Ventura, who returns just one starter from a year ago, pounded out 13 hits in the game. McKee, Brendan Griffith, Nick Bero and Shane Gipson all collected two hits each for VC. The Pirates also benefitted from six Bakersfield errors in the game.
Ventura returns to action on Saturday Jan. 28 in Bakersfield against Feather River College at 11:00 am. VC will wrap up the three-day stay in the Central Valley with a match-up against Fullerton on Sunday Jan. 29 at 11:00 am.