The Pirate baseball team pulled away from visiting Oxnard throughout the day in their 12-4 victory Thursday afternoon at Pirate Park. Hunter Jones gave up one run over four innings of relief work to pick up the win on the mound as Nick Schnopp and Ramon Torres each hit home runs to pace the Ventura offense.
Ventura gave up a run in the top of the second inning before answering with three in the bottom half of the frame. Schnopp hit a home run off the net in left center field to lead things off, and Andrew Savage was hit by a pitch. Torres followed with a shot to centerfield. When the Oxnard defender slipped before making a play, the ball bounced past ant to the hill allowing Torres to race around the diamond for the inside-the-park home run and a 3-1 Pirate advantage.
Oxnard scored another run in the top of the third on a single, two more walks, and a hit batter. VC, meanwhile, answered in similar fashion in the bottom of the third. Reiss Calvin led off with a walk and John Oleson was hit by a pitch. Casey Turturici prompted a pitching change by drawing another base on balls, and Schnopp was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Savage was up next and grounded into a double play scoring another run for a 5-2 Pirate margin.
The Condors scored another run in the fourth inning to pull to within 5-4, and the score remained until the bottom of the sixth.
Schnopp led off the sixth with a single and Savage was hit by a pitch. After a pitching change Torres singled to load the bases before Julien Monks grounded into a double play, scoring Schnopp.
The Pirates broke the game open in the bottom of the eighth. Savage, Torres and Monks all singled to open the frame before Connor Vogel hit a bases-clearing, stand-up triple up the hill in centerfield. JR Godinez followed with an RBI single and Calvin also recorded a one-base hit, moving Godinez to third. Calvin then stole second before Oleson grounded out to shortstop to score Godinez. Turturici doubled home Calvin to give the Pirates an even dozen.
Oxnard scored once in the top of the ninth to set the final margin.
VC next travels to Santa Barbara on Saturday April 23 for a 1:00 pm game at Pershing Park.