In a tight conference race, every game looms large. The Pirate baseball team found that out Tuesday, falling from a first-place tie to fourth place with a 5-2 loss at Moorpark Tuesday afternoon. Dayton Provost had a pair of hits with one runs scored and one RBI while Steele Ledford and AJ Medrano also recorded two base hits each but it was not enough to overcome the Raiders. Noah Proffitt had a solid day on the mound, pitching a complete game while scattering nine hits and giving up five runs, three earned, and striking out two.
Ventura took the early lead when Fabian De La Barcena hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Provost.
The Raiders came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead before VC tied things in th top of the fifth. With two outs, TJ Foreman reached first base on an error. He moved to third on a single by Ledford, then came in to score on Provost's base hit.
Moorpark reestablished control in the bottom half of the frame taking advantage of a VC error and a home run ball for a 4-2 lead. MC added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth for the final 5-2 margin.
Ventura has a crucial three-game stretch coming up with home games against Moorpark on Thursday April 12 and Santa Barbara Friday April 13. Both games begin at 2:30 pm at Pirate Park. VC then travels to Cuesta College on Saturday April 15. The three opponents and the Pirates are all currently within 1.5 games of each other in the Western State Conference North Division race.