The Pirate baseball team scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning to tie the game at Riverside at 4-4 Wednesday afternoon only to have the Tigers walk off in the bottom of the ninth with a 5-4 victory. AJ Medrano had a pair of hits, including a double and scored two runs while Brian Guy also had two hits with a double, and two runs batted in. Gabe Baldovino knocked out two doubles and Junior Sandoval had a pair of singles with an RBI for Ventura (7-5).
Riverside claimed a 1-0 lead in the first inning before the Pirates tied things up in the fourth. Medrano walked, Baldovino doubles, and Guy had an RBI single around a pair of outs as VC knotted things up.
The Tigers plated a pair of runs in the fifth and another in the seventh to set up the Pirate comeback.
Steele Ledford led off the top of the eighth inning with a single. One out later, Medrano singled up the middle, then Zane Chittenden doubled to left field to score Medrano. Guy then hit a two-RBI single up the middle and the Pirates tied the game at 4-4.
Unfortunately, Riverside was able to get the lead-off man aboard in the bottom of the ninth, and bring him around to score for the walk-off ending.
Travis Weston made the start and gave up four runs in six innings for the Pirates. Brent Dickey pitched a scoreless innings and Sal Delgado threw 1.2 innings before giving up the game-winner.
The Pirates have little time to think about the loss as they make another long drive on Thursday Feb. 28. They will travel to Victor Valley College in Victorville for a 2:00 pm game against the Rams. They return home Friday March 1 with a 2:00 pm first pitch at Pirate Park against Orange Coast.