Travis Weston pitched another gem and Ethan Balolong continued hist hot bat at the plate to lead the Pirate baseball team to a 10-5 victory over Allan Hancock College at Pirate Park on Tuesday. Weston gave up one run over 5.2 innings of work, scattering four hits while striking out five for his fifth win of the year. Balolong, meanwhile continued to swing the hot bat with two hits, including a line-drive home run, with two runs scored and an RBI for the Pirates (14-11, 6-4). With the victory, Ventura pulls back into a three-way tie for first place in the conference standings.
The Pirates jumped on the Bulldogs early and often, scoring 10 runs in the first five innings for the 10-0 advantage.
TJ Foreman, Sam Silverya and Gabe Baldovino all singled to start the game, giving VC the early lead. Zane Chittenden then reached base on an error to load the bases once again and Junior Sandoval reached on a fielder's choice to hit in the Pirates' second run of the opening frame.
Balolong kept things moving in the second with a solo shot over the left field fence to lead off the inning. His first home run of the season gave the Pirates a 3-0 edge.
Ventura strung together four straight singles with two outs in the third inning to score two more runs. Sam Langler started the rally followed by Balolong's single. Riley Langerman was next up in the single parade, knocking in Langler before Jacob Harris hit another RBI single, scoring Balolong. VC led 5-0 at the end of the inning.
The Pirates added one more run in the fourth inning when Langler's two-out single scored Silverya, who led off the inning reaching base on an error.
VC broke the game open in the fifth frame, scoring four runs. With one out in the inning, Harris doubled and Foreman was hit by a pitch. The two runners advanced 90 feet on an error and Silverya walked to load the bases. Baldovino followed with a fly ball that was misplayed by the right fielder. Harris and Foreman scored on the play. Chittenden then singled to left scoring Silverya, and another fielding error allowed Baldovino to complete his trip around the bases. The Pirates led 10-0 after five innings of play.
Hancock came back with one run in the sixth inning and three more in the eighth. They plated another score in the ninth, but the Pirate lead was too much to overcome. Ventura posted the 10-5 victory.
Silverya reached base three times in the game with a hit and two walks. He scored three runs and also had a run batted in. Foreman had two hits while scoring twice and Harris totaled two hits, including a double, with a run scored and an RBI. Langler also had two hits with a runs scored, knocking in another score.
With the win, VC moved into a tie with AHC and Cuesta atop the Western State Conference North Division standings halfway through conference play. Ventura opens the second round of WSC game on Thursday March 28 hosting Santa Barbara. first pitch is scheduled for 2:30 pm at Pirate Park.