The VC baseball team returned to Pirate Park on Thursday, dropping a 14-2 decision to highly-ranked Riverside. Left fielder Ben Drumheller had a pair of hits for the Pirates while Sean Parkinson and David King each scored runs in the game.
The Pirates (5-4) fell behind early, yielding three runs in the top of the first inning. Meanwhile, the VC offense was unable to get going until the bottom of the third.
With one out, Drumheller and Jacob Tostado hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. The threat was neutralized however, when the next batter struck out and Drumheller was tagged out at home on a double steal attempt.
The Tigers broke the game open with five runs in the top of the fourth, another score in the sixth, and two runs in the seventh.
Ventura got on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, David King walked, and Drumheller followed with another single. Tostado was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Henry Borjas lined to right for a sacrifice fly.
VC also plated a run in the bottom of the ninth when Sean Parkinson scored from third on a wild pitch.
Wilson Spinks took the mound for the start for the Pirates, pitching four complete innings. Nolan Moreau and Aiden DeMello also saw action in relief while Ryan Dexter pitched a scoreless ninth.
Ventura next travels to Riverside to complete the two-game series with the Tigers on Friday Feb. 16.