It was a great day for baseball at Pirate Park. Just ask VC starting pitcher Austin Rubick. The transfer sophomore took the hill for the Pirates' home opener, striking out 13 batters over 6.1 innings of work, allowing just one hit in the top of the seventh inning, as Ventura defeated the visiting Brahmas 8-1 Tuesday. Brendan Griffith knocked in two runs with a double in the first inning, Blake Chiaramonte had a solo home run to left field in the fourth, and Elijah Alexander scored two runs for the Pirates (7-4), playing at home for the first time in 2017 after 10 games on the road.
After Rubick struck out the side in the top of the first, Ventura jumped on Pierce for six runs in the bottom half of the frame to take control early. Chris McKee singled to open the inning, and Rodolfo Aguilar walked before Griffith knocked both baserunnerss in with a 1-out double. Bryson Wallet then singled in McKee and it was already 3-0. Alexander followed with a walk, and Kaden Betsch was hit by a pitch to load the bases. One batter later, Brett Steinberger singled home two Griffith and Alexander. Betsch then scored on a wild pitch and the Pirates led 6-0.
VC scored again in the third when Alexander walked to open the frame, stole second, and advanced two more bases on two wild pitches. The Pirates also scored a run in the fourth when Chiaramonte knocked a pitch over the left field fence for a home run.
The cushion was plenty enough for Rubick, who struck out eight of the first nine batters he faced. In the fourth, he worked his way out of a two-on, no-outs jam, recording a strikeout with the bases loaded to end the inning. Rubick recorded two more K's each in the fifth and sixth innings before yielding a lead-off single in the seventh to spoil the no-hitter.
Jackson Hickert pitches two-thirds of an inning, and Andrew Nardi struck out four over two frames of work, gibing up one run in the eighth.
VC begins a two-game set with Antelope Valley on Thursday March 2 in Lancaster before returning home to face the Marauders on Saturday March 4.