The Pirate baseball team fell behind 7-0 after four innings of play at Rio Hondo on Wednesday before staging a strong comeback in their 11-9 setback against the Roadrunners. Caden Stillwell had two doubles, scored twice and knocked in one run while Reiss Calvin had two hits, including a double and a home run, with three runs scored and an RBI. Omar Santamaria also knocked in a pair of runs for Ventura (11-19, 6-9) in the non-conference make-up game in Whittier.
VC struggled defensively in allowing seven runs over the first four frames of the game.
The offense got untracked in the fifth, however, with three runs. Gage Allen led off with a single and, one out later, Calvin hit a double to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Yuki Kawashima was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Mason Reid knocked in Allen when he reached first on a fielder's choice that forced out Kawashima. Haiden Letzing then singled home Calvin before Andrew Savage hit an RBI single to score Reid from second.
Ventura continued to rally with a score in the top of the sixth. Calvin was hit by a pitch and stole second before Kawashima singled him home to pull VC to within 7-4.
Unfortunately the Roadrunners were able to plate two scores in the bottom of the sixth to expand their advantage to 9-4.
VC continued the comeback attempts with single runs in the seventh and eighth frames. Stillwell and Carson Friesen hit back-to-back doubles in the seventh for a run before Calvin hit a solo shot in the eighth to pull the Pirates to within 9-6.
Rio Hondo then scored a pair of insurance runs i the bottom of the eighth before another strong inning for the Pirates.
Letzing walked to open up the final column before Savage reached base on an error. Stillwell followed with an RBI double and Santamaria hit a two-RBI single to pull Ventura to within 11-9. Allen was hit by a pitch after a pitching change to put the potential tying run on base and Calvin walked to load the diamond with one out. VC was unable to get one more clutch hit, however, stranding the go-ahead run in scoring position.
Ventura will close the week with another non-conference game at Mt. San Jacinto on Thursday April 6.