The Pirate baseball team fell behind 5-0 and 8-1 to visiting Cuesta Thursday afternoon before a five-run eighth inning got VC back into he game. They fell short in the comeback, however, dropping the 9-6 decision to the Cougars. Omar Santamaria continued to swing a hot bat, going 2-3, including a double, with a stolen base, two runs scored and two runs batted in. Reiss Calvin was 2-4 with a stolen base, one run scored and two RBI. Harrison Cordeiro and Sebastian Garcia each pitched scoreless innings in relief.
It was rough sailing early for the Pirates as Cuesta scored once each in the third and fourth innings before plating three runs in the fifth.
Ventura showed signs of life in the fifth, scoring once. Santamaria led off with a walk, moved to second with a stolen base and to third on Yuki Kawashima's ground ball out. Calvin followed with a two-out single for the RBI and the 5-1 VC deficit.
Cuesta continued their steady onslaught with another run in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh for an 8-1 margin.
The Pirate began a comeback attempt in the bottom of the eighth. Calvin led off with a single and stole second. After a 6-3 groundout, Mason Reid singled and Calvin went to third. Haiden Letzing followed with an RBI single, moving to second on a throw that cut down Reid at third for the second out of the frame. Andrew Savage followed with a single, and after a pitching change, Matthew Beach was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Santamaria then hit a two-RBI double followed by a base on balls to Allen. After another change on the mound, the runners all moved ahead 90 feet on a wild pitch with Beach scoring. Kawashima then walked to re-load the bases before Calvin was intentionally walked by the Cougars, forcing home a run. Unfortunately, the bold pitching move paid off as the Pirates were then retired with the bases full still trailing 8-6.
The Cougars scored an insurance run in the top of the ninth for the 9-6 win.
VC (14-22, 9-11) has their final road game of the season on Saturday April 22 at Oxnard. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.