The Ventura College baseball team can't seem to catch a break. One game after giving up 10 runs, six in the first inning, the Pirate pitching from Blake Campbell and Jacob Martinez was superb through nine innings of shutout baseball, only to be undone by a lack of VC offense. Ventura (5-10, 0-5) managed just five hits in the game, falling at Oxnard College 1-0 in 10 innings Thursday.
Ventura managed to advance into scoring position only three times all day, including in each of the first two innings. Gabe Baldovino hit a one-out triple in the first inning, only to be stranded at third base and Riley Langerman singled in the second, moving to second and third on an error by the pitcher. He too was left 90 feet from home when the side was retired.
VC's only other scoring threat occurred when Baldovino and Omar Gastelum had back-to-back singles with two outs in the top of the ninth inning.
Campbell got the start on the mound, pitching five complete innings while allowing just three hits and striking out four. Martinez came on in relief and threw four scoreless innings before faltering in the 10th inning.
The Pirates conclude their three-game set with Oxnard on Saturday Feb. 29 at Pirate Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.