After spotting visiting Cuesta three runs in the top of the first inning, the Ventura College baseball team settled in, scoring five unanswered runs en route to a 5-3 Western State Conference victory Thursday at Pirate Park. Chris McKee had two hits, stole a base, and scored two runs to pace the Pirates (12-6, 3-2) while Rodolfo Aguilar scored twice and had a two-RBI base hit. Justin Friedman picked up the win on the mound, pitching six innings and striking out five batters.
Kaden Betsch also picked up two hits for Ventura and scored a run while Bryson Wallet had two RBI.
On the mound, Jackson Hickert threw two innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts and Taylor Campos picked up his third save of the season with a scoreless ninth with two punch outs.
After giving up three runs in the top of the first inning, VC got one back in the bottom half of the frame. McKee led off with a single, and stole second base with one out. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Blake Chiaramonte's sacrifice fly.
Ventura took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Betsch led off with a single, and with one out, McKee followed with another single. Both runners advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch. Aguilar picked both runners up with a two-RBI single to tie the score at 3-3. The Pirates were not done however, as Chiaramonte singled and Brendan Griffith walked to load the bases. Wallet followed with a ground ball to third base that scored Aguilar for a 4-3 Pirate advantage.
VC picked up some insurance in the seventh inning. Aguilar and Chiaramonte were both hit by pitches, and Griffith moved the runners ahead with a groundout. Wallet followed with a perfectly executed squeeze play scoring Aguilar for the 5-3 margin
Ventura travels to San Luis Obispo on Saturday March 18 for a 1:00 pm contest against Cuesta and takes to the road again on Sunday March 19 in Woodland Hills against LA Pierce at 1:00 pm.