The Pirate baseball team bounced back from Thursday's loss to claim an 8-4 win at Moorpark Friday in the middle game of a three-game set with the Raiders. Peter Dufau was 3-5 at the plate, including a home run, with two runs scored and three runs batted in while Mason Reid also had three hits with a triple, two runs scored and three more RBI. Dylan Jackson hit a solo home run for VC (7-5, 1-1). Domingo Gaxiola had 3.1 solid innings f relief to pick up the win on the mound.
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Raiders drew first blood in the bottom of the third with one run.
Ventura came storming back with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Jackson led off with a solo home run to tie the game and Reid reached first on a one-out error, then stole second. Matthew Beach moved Reid to third with a single and Dufau followed with an RBI single. After a balk moved Ventura's runners ahead 90 feet, Beach scored on a passed ball. Ben Drumheller then hit an RBI single down the left field line to score Dufau.
Moorpark countered with another run in the bottom half of the fourth before VC broke the game open with four more runs in the fifth. Henry Borjas led off with a walk then stole second. David King was next up with an RBI double and he advanced to third one out later on Haiden Letzing's single. Reid followed with a triple for two RBI before pinch hitter Mitchell Collins ground out to second to score Reid. VC led 8-2 after five innings of play.
The Pirates added two more runs in the top of the sixth. Borjas tripled with one out then came home when King reached base on a fielder's choice. Jackson singled up the middle to send King into scoring position before Reid hit a two-out RBI single to right.
Moorpark scored single runs in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings to pull to within 10-4. VC countered with another pair of runs in the top of the ninth on a two-run home run by Dufau.
Jackson, Letzing and Drumheller all had two hits each in the game while Borjas and King each scored twice with one hit each.
Wilson Spinks made the start on the mound, pitching into the fifth inning, allowing two runs with three strikeouts. Nolan Moreau pitched a scoreless ninth to complete the game for VC.
The Pirates next finish the three-game set with the Raiders on Saturday Feb. 24 at 12:00 pm.