The Pirate baseball team let a close win get away, dropping a 10-6 decision to visiting Fullerton College Thursday afternoon at Pirate Park. VC led 6-5 heading to the top of the ninth before yielding five runs, including a grand slam home run, in the frame. Elijah Maris was 4-5 on the day for VC (3-3) with two runs scored and a run batted in while Gabe Baldovino had a pair of hits and two RBI. Noah Proffitt gave up five runs, three earned, through six innings of work and was in line for the win before the late collapse.
Ventura gave up two runs in the top of the first inning, and yielded another score in the top of the third. They came back in the bottom half of the column, however, to close the gap to 3-2. Alejandro Soto doubled to lead off the frame, and Hunter Klingelhoffer followed with an RBI two-bagger. One out later, Maris singled home Klingelhoffer.
After giving up one run in the top of the fifth inning, VC came back to tie he game with a pair of scores in the bottom half of the fifth. Baldovino had the big at bat of the inning, pushing through a two-RBI single to score Mitchell Mashiko and Maris.
VC fell behind 5-4 in the sixth inning before taking a late lead with two runs in the seventh. Mashiko walked and Maris singled to set up Riley Langerman's two-run single.
Proffitt scattered eight hits and struck out two in his six innings of work. Travis Nelson and Noah Bullard each had one inning of scoreless relief on the mound before the Pirates' fortunes turned in the final inning.
Ventura opens a two-game set against Citrus College at home on Saturday Feb. 8. First pitch is slated for 1:00 pm at Pirate Park.