The Pirate baseball team split a double header with San Joaquin Delta College Saturday at Pirate Park, dropping the opener 11-4 before claiming the nightcap, 5-2. Dylan Jackson scored a pair of runs on the day and delivered a bases-clearing double in the nightcap to lead Ventura (1-2) to their first win of the year. Yuki Kawashima also scored twice on the day with a hit, a walk and an RBI. Dominic Bayless pitched into the fifth inning in Game 2 to pick up the victory.
Ventura 4, San Joaquin Delta 11
After a solid start, the Pirates fell behind the Mustangs in the second inning of the opener. They then yielded a six-run fifth frame to settle the seven-inning affair.
Ventura gave up two runs in the top of the first but responded with two scores in the bottom half of the frame. Kawashima hit a one-out double and Jackson followed with a walk. The pair then moved ahead two bases on a throwing error by the pitcher, with Kawashima scoring VC's first run. Mason Reid then hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Jackson and tie the game.
Delta took the lead for good with a run in the top of the second, and they scored two more in the third. The Mustangs put the game away with their six-run fifth.
VC showed some signs of life in the bottom of the seventh. Jordan Jones and Henry Borjas were both hit by pitches and Jacob Tostado loaded the bases with a walk. Pinch hitter Sean Parkinson hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Jones before Mitchell Collins reached base on a fielder's choice that scored Borjas to set the final margin.
Kawashima and AJ Herrera each doubled for the Pirates in the game and Haiden Letzing and Tostado each recorded singles. Wilson Spinks got the start on the mound for Ventura while Toby Gleeson-Payne and Caden Stillwell each saw duty in relief.
Ventura 5, San Joaquin Delta 3
The Pirates got a victory ion the final game of the weekend behind a solid pitching performance by Bayless. The redshirt freshman pitched into the fifth inning, scattering four hits and allowing two runs with two strikeouts.
Both the Delta runs came in the top of the third inning. Ventura responded with a five-spot in the bottom half of the frame.
David King led off the inning with a walk and Borjas followed with another base on balls one out later. Brandon Contreras singled to load the bases and Kawashima drew the Pirates' third walk of the inning to force home King. After a pitching change, Jackson cleared the bases with a one-out double. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Letzing's RBI single for the 5-3 margin.
Harrison Cordeiro allowed one hit in pitching a scoreless 1.2 innings and Jaden Valdez closed out the victory with a scoreless seventh inning.
Ventura will next travel to College of the Canyons on Thursday Feb. 1. They will return home on Tuesday Feb. 6 against Antelope Valley.