The Pirate baseball team lost 4-1 against Cuesta College Saturday afternoon in San Luis Obispo, bringing VC back into a three-way tie for first place in the Western State Conference North Division with the Cougars and Santa Barbara. TJ Foreman had three hits and a stolen base for Ventura (20-14, 11-7) while Gabe Baldovino scored the Pirates' lone run of the game. Zane Chittenden had another strong outing on the mound, giving up six hits in six innings of work while allowing a pair of runs in taking the hard-luck loss.
With one out in the top of the first inning, Baldovino singled, then went to second on AJ Medrano's ground out to the pitcher. Chittenden the reached base on an error by the shortstop that allowed Baldovino to come home for the early Pirate lead.
The advantage did not last long, however, as Cuesta scored a run in the bottom of the first inning to tie the game.
Both teams settled in at that point before Cuesta plated another score in the bottom of the sixth. The Cougars scored a pair of unearned runs in the seventh inning for the final margin.
Ventura had base runners in every inning except the fifth, but could not string together base hits to bring home more than the one run.
Ethan Balolong and Junior Sandoval each had a hit in the game for VC, which was limited to six hits in the game.
Ventura will take a week off from the conference race, next traveling to Glendale on Tuesday April 16 for a non-conference contest.