The Ventura College pitching staff combined to strike out 16 Pierce batters, including nine strikeouts in five innings from the bullpen, as VC defeated the Brahmas 7-3 Thursday in Woodland Hills. Chris McKee had two hits, including a key two-RBI single, and scored twice in the victory for the Pirates (4-3). Dylan Francis recorded six K's over four innings in the start, giving up two runs on four hits.
The Brahmas took an early 2-0 lead with two runs in the bottom of the second on three singles in the frame.
VC came back with three runs in the top of the fifth to take a 3-2 lead. With one out, Kaden Betsch doubled and Nick Bero was hit by a pitch. Following a strikeout, McKee delivered the clutch two-out, two-RBI single to tie the score, advancing to second on an error. Rodolfo Aguilar followed with another single scoring McKee to put the Pirates ahead 3-2.
Ventura turned to their lock-down bullpen to maintain the advantage. Charlie Brooks pitched three innings with five punch outs, limiting Pierce to one run in the seventh inning, after the Pirates broke the game open.
In the top of the seventh, VC mounted a two-out rally with a good eye to put the game away. McKee and Aguilar had back-to-back singles, and Blake Chiaramonte walked to load the bases. Brendan Griffith drew a base-on-balls to score McKee, and Aguilar scored on a wild pitch. Bryson Wallet earned a free base with a walk, then Elijah Alexander walked to score Chiaramonte. Betsch closed the rally with an RBI single to score Griffith and VC led 7-2.
Leading 7-3 after seven, Jackson Hickert and Andrew Nardi each struck out two batters in an inning each of scoreless, hitless work on the mound. The bullpen preserved the 7-3 victory for the Pirates.