The Pirate baseball team ended the regular season on a high note Saturday with an 11-1 victory over Moorpark at Pirate Park. Cooper Smith had an outstanding start on the mound, scattering three hits over six complete innings facing one batter over the minimum while keeping the Raiders scoreless. Reiss Calvin was 4-5 at the plate with a double, three runs scored and two runs batted in to lead the 12-hit Pirate attack.
VC got off to a fast start. After Smith retired the side in order in the top of the first, VC (22-18, 15-9) plated a pair of scores in the bottom half of the frame. JR Godinez led off with a walk and Calvin followed with a single. One out later Casey Turturici hit an RBI single to score Godinez before Nick Schnopp hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Calvin.
Andrew Savage was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the second and Ramon Torres singled. Both runners moved ahead 90 feet on a passed ball before the next two batters recorded outs. Godinez then hit a two-out, two-RBI single to make it 4-0 for the Pirates.
The Ventura offensive onslaught continued in the third inning. Oleson was hit by a pitch and Turturici followed with a single. Oleson moved to third on a fly out by Schnopp before scoring on Savage's ground ball out to second base.
The Pirates broke the game wide open with a three-run fourth inning. KJ Moo-Young hit a one-out single and Godinez walked. Calvin then hit a double to clear the bases and moved to third on a wild pitch. Oleson then walked and Turturici hit into a fielder's choice that scored Calvin.
In the fifth inning, Moo-Young had an RBI single to score Torres and the Pirates led 9-0.
The Raiders scored their lone run in the top of the seventh inning.
Ventura scored two more runs for good measure in the bottom of the eighth when Schnopp hit a two-out double to score Godinez and Calvin for the final 11-1 margin.
Schnopp finished with three RBI on the day and Godinez had a hit with three walks, two RBI and three runs scored. Turturici recorded a pair of hits with two runs batted in and Moo-Young also had a two-hit day.
Timmy Adams and Livio Bundi each had scoreless appearances in relief on the mound.
Despite the win, the Pirates will miss out on the post season. They finish the year with a 22-18 record, 15-9 in Western State Conference North Division play. VC finished alone in third place in the conference.