The Pirate baseball team had its bats fall silent on Tuesday, falling at Citrus College 9-2 to split a two-game set with the Owls. VC managed just three hits in the game, scoring single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Tommy Gibbons-Matsuyama had a double and scored a run while Omar Gastelum and Mitchell Mashiko each reached base with singles. Travis Nelson pitched six complete innings in taking the setback for VC (4-4).
The Owls took an early lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning. They added two more in the third before the Pirates got on the board in the top of the fourth.
Lenny Perralta led off the frame by reaching base on an error. Gastelum followed with a clean single to left, and Hunter Klingelhoffer made it to first on a fielder's choice with all the runners moving up 90 feet. Alejandro Soto followed with another fielder's choice scoring Perralta from third. Ventura trailed 3-1 at the end of the inning.
After Citrus answered with a score in the bottom of the fourth, the Pirates came back with another run in the fifth. Gibbons-Matsuyama doubled to lead off the frame, and moved to third on Gabe Baldovino's 4-3 ground out. Riley Langerman then grounded out to the shortstop to send Gibbons-Matsuyama across the plate.
The Owls plated three runs in the sixth inning and another two in the seventh to set the 9-2 final margin.
Ventura next travels to West Los Angeles College on Thursday Feb. 13. First pitch is slated for 2:00 pm in Culver City.