The Pirate baseball team returned home Friday and beat the rain, but not visiting Moorpark, falling to the Raiders 7-3. The loss splits the two-game series against the cross-county rivals as VC won at Moorpark last Saturday. Rudy Aguilar led VC at the plate with a pair of hits, one run scored and one RBI. Taylor Goffena pitched into the sixth inning in the start, giving up five runs in taking the loss.
Ventura (10-11, 3-2) took the early lead in the bottom of the first inning when Aguilar knocked in Steele Ledford from second base with a single.
The Raiders took the lead with a pair of runs in the third inning, and they followed that up with three more in the sixth for a 5-1 lead.
VC countered in the bottom of the sixth with two runs to cut the Raiders' margin. With runners on second and third, Sam Langler grounded out to score Dayton Provost, the Aguilar scored from third on a passed ball during the next at bat. The Pirates trailed 5-3 at the end of the frame.
Moorpark scored a pair of insurance runs, one each in the seventh and eighth innings, for the final score.
The Pirates return to Pirate Park on Saturday March 17 against Cuesta. First pitch is slated for 2:00 pm against the Cougars.