The VC baseball team defeated Rio Hondo 11-9 Thursday, the second straight win by the same score over the Roadrunners. The Pirates had to hold off RHC on Thursday, however, holding an 11-5 lead before giving up four late runs in Whittier. Henry Borjas led Ventura with a pair of home runs and three runs batted in while Lucas Martinov had a pair of hits and two RBI. Grant Rodriguez also homered for the Pirates (14-15, 9-6).
The Pirates scored twice in the top of the first for the quick 2-0 lead. Borjas and Matthew Ramirez sandwiched walks around a single by Tommy Castaneda before Martinov knocked in two runs with a single.
The Roadrunners came back, however, with two runs in the second and three more scores in the third for a 5-2 advantage.
Borjas hit a two-run home run in the top of the fifth to bring the Pirates back to within 5-4 before a huge seventh inning put Ventura in control.
With one out in the frame, Borjas hit a solo home run to tie the game. The second out of the inning followed before Ramirez singled and Rodriguez two-run jack for the Pirate lead. After a pitching change, Martinov singled, Daniel Aguilera reached base on an error and Frederico Tiburtini walked to load the bases. All the runners moved forward 90 feet on a wild pitch with Martinov scoring before Hunter Cervantes drew another base on balls to reload the diamond. Jacob Tostado followed with a two-RBI double to give VC an 11-5 margin.
Rio Hondo scored four runs in the bottom half of the column on a pair of home runs, but Jathan Magana settled down to retire the side in the eighth before Cole Blommer shut down RHC in the ninth to save the victory for the Pirates.
Victor Tostado earned the win on the mound with two scoreless innings of work out of the bullpen.
Ventura returns home on Saturday April 5 with another non-conference game against College of the Desert. First pitch is slated for 1:00 pm at Pirate Park.