The VC baseball team continued to produce runs Saturday, but a sixth inning rally by Glendale sealed the Pirates' fate in their 21-8 setback against the Vaqueros Saturday. Haiden Letzing had three hits, including a double, with three runs batted in and a run scored while Reiss Calvin reached base four times, twice with hits, and scored three times with an RBI. Gage Allen and Caden Stillwell also doubled in the game.
Ventura took the early lead in the top of the third inning. Calvin was hit by a pitch with one out and came around to score on Letzing's two-out RBI single for the 1-0 advantage.
The Vaqueros answered with three in the bottom of the third, and VC came back to tie in the top of the fifth. Yuki Kawashima led off the frame with a single, moving to second on a wild pitch. Calvin then walked, and the two pulled off a double-steal one out later. Kawashima scored on Mason Reid's grounder to third before Letzing doubled home Calvin.
Glendale scored once in the bottom of the fifth for a 4-3 edge.
Pirate starter Jared Hughes had pitched well through five columns, scattering eight hits and allowing four runs, three earned. The third time through the line-up was difficult for the righty, however, as the Vaqueros opened the bottom of the sixth with three hits and four base runners, bringing in the VC bullpen. Glendale's rally continued to put up 11 runs in the inning, putting the game away.
Ventura continued to battle, however, scoring three times in the seventh. Calvin hit a one-out single and Aaron McLeod followed one out later with another single. Letzing hit an RBI single and Savage connected for a two-RBI double for the Pirates.
VC also plated two runs in the eighth. Calvin ht an RBI single to score Allen, and McLeod hit a sacrifice fly to score Mitchell Collins.
Ventura opens Western State Conference play at home on Tuesday Feb. 22. VC will host Moorpark for a 2:00 pm first pitch at Pirate Park.