The Ventura College baseball team continued its struggles at the plate Thursday in a 9-1 defeat at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. TJ Foreman had a pair of hits, including a double, and Jacob Harris tripled and scored VC's only run in the Western State Conference North Division setback. Jackson Hickert started on the mound and picked up the loss for Ventura (12-11, 4-4).
After Foreman doubled to open the game, and advanced to third base with one out, the Pirates could not find the clutch hit in the top of the first inning. Cuesta jumped at the opportunity and scored twice in the bottom half of the frame for the early lead.
Both teams hung zero's on the scoreboard for the next three innings before the Pirates came to life a bit in the fifth. Harris had a two-out triple, then came home to score on Foreman's single. The Pirates trailed 2-1 before the Cougars loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fifth, and scored four runs before the game moved to the sixth.
Cuesta scored three more runs in the sixth inning on two hits and an error to put the game away. The Pirates could not muster any offense in the final three innings of the 9-1 defeat.
Ventura travels to Santa Maria on Saturday March 23 for a date with the Allan Hancock Bulldogs. First pitch is slated for 1:00 pm.