The Pirate baseball team held off SoCal No. 6-ranked Glendale College 5-4 for a non-conference road win Tuesday afternoon. Junior Sandoval had two hits, including a double, and scored a run while Riley Langerman also had a pair of base knocks. TJ Foreman reached base three times, had two stolen bases and scored two runs. In the process, he set a new school record for career stolen bases and he is closing in on the single-season mark as well.
Jacob Harris had a triple and scored a run and AJ Medrano had a hit with an RBI and a run scored for the Pirates (21-14, 11-7), who defeated the Vaqueros for the first time since 2010.
Foreman's second stolen base of the game in the top of the seventh inning, a swipe of third base, broke the career steals record of 43 held by Joseph Jauregui set in 1995-1996. Foreman now has 26 stolen bases on the season, putting him one behind Mike Muncy's single-season record of 27 set in 1993. Additionally, Foreman has 19 steals in Western State Conference play, two behind Muncy's record of 21.
The Pirates got on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Sandoval doubled, then moved to third on Baylor Tovar's sacrifice. Ethan Balolong followed with an RBI single and VC led 1-0.
Glendale answered with a run of their own in the bottom half of the frame for a 1-1 tie heading to the fifth.
Ventura took the lead for good in the top of the fifth inning. Foreman led off the inning and was hit by a pitch, then moved to second on an error. One out later he scored on a Medrano single. Medrano stole second and moved to third on a passed ball before Zane Chittenden hit him home for a 3-1 VC advantage.
Glendale narrowed the gap to 3-2 in the sixth inning, but the Pirates responded with two more runs in the top of the seventh. Harris led ff with a triple, and Foreman was in the thick of things again, picking up an RBI on a fielder's choice that scored Harris. Foreman went to second on an error on the play and stole third before scoring on a passed ball one out later.
The Pirates gave up single runs in the seventh and ninth innings, but held on for the 5-4 victory.
Travis Weston started on the hill for VC, pitching five complete innings and striking out seven while giving up one run to pick up the win. Brent Dickey, Jeff Thoben and Noah Bullard all pitched an inning in relief before Sal Delgado got the final two outs of the game for the save.
Ventura will next host Los Angeles Valley on Thursday April 18. First pitch at Pirate Park will be at 2:30 pm.