The Pirate baseball team rebounded to end a three game skid with a 10-4 victory over visiting Santa Barbara City College on Friday at Pirate Park. AJ Medrano had three runs batted in and Gabe Baldovino recorded three hits to lead Ventura (9-8, 1-1) while Travis Weston was a stabilizing force out of the bullpen, pitching four scoreless innings, limiting the Vaqueros to two hits and striking out five to pick up the victory.
After giving up a run in the first inning, the Pirates came back with three in the bottom half of the frame. TJ Foreman and Baldovino singled to open the game, followed by an RBI single by Medrano. Zane Chittenden then hit a sacrifice fly for Ventura's second run. One out later, Sam Langler reached base on an error, scoring Medrano.
SBCC then tied the game with a pair of run in the top of the second.
VC took the lead for good in the fourth inning. Langler led off with a walk, and eventually scored on Hunter Klingelhoffer's sacrifice fly for a 4-1 Pirate advantage.
The Pirates added another score in the sixth inning on a triple by Riley Langerman followed y an RBI double by Foreman.
Ventura broke the game open by taking advantage of Vaquero mistakes in a three-hit, five-run seventh inning. Junior Sandoval led off by reaching base on an error, and Brian Guy was hit by a pitch. Ethan Balolong loaded the bases with a single, and Langerman followed with an RBI single. One out later, Foreman was hit by a pitch to force home another run, and Baldovino hit a sacrifice fly. Medrano closed the rally with a clutch two-out single to score two more runs for the Pirates as they took a 10-3 lead.
Santa Barbara scored an inconsequential run in the ninth inning to set the final margin at 10-4.
After Jackson Hickert started the game on the mound, Sergio Linares and Noah Bullard combined for 1.2 scoreless innings to set up Weston. Christian Herrera allowed one run over 1.1 innings of work and Sal Delgado closed the door on the Vaqueros in the ninth.
Foreman ended the day with two hits, including a double, with two runs batted in and two runs scored. Langerman scored twice on two hits, including a triple, with an RBI, and Balolong also had two hits with a run scored.
Ventura returns to Pirate Park on Saturday March 9 for a 1:00 pm date with Oxnard College.