The VC baseball team traveled to San Luis Obispo Thursday and came home with a pair of victories over Cuesta. VC defeated the Cougars 7-6 in the continuation of a suspended game from March 4, needing just one inning and Aaron McLeod beating out a possible double-play ball to score Bryce Elias for the win. In the regularly scheduled game, Peter Dufau hit a three-run home run in the top of the seventh to provide the game-winning scores for the 8-7 triumph.
The first game was a resumption of a 6-6 12-inning game suspended by darkness at Pirate Park on March 4 (See Game Story).
Harrison Cordeiro resumed duties on the mound in the top of the 13th and retired the Cougars, giving VC a chance to end the game in the bottom half of the frame.
With one out, Elias doubled and Mason Reid reached base on a fielder's choice moving Elias to third. McLeod then came up and bunted to the pitcher who threw out Reid at second, but McLeod beat the throw to first as Elias scored the walk-off game-winner.
In the regularly scheduled contest, Cuesta plated a run in the bottom of the second before Ventura exploded for five runs in the third.
Reid led off with a double and moved to third on Yuki Kawashima's single. Haiden Letzing then reached base on a fielder's choice, during which Kawashima reached second, then third, on an error, and Reid scored. One out later Letzing stole second before Dylan Jackson hit a three-run home run. Dufau singled and came all the way around to score when Jacob Tostado reached base on an error for the 5-1 Pirate advantage.
The Cougars scored three in the bottom of the fourth, then took a 6-5 lead with two more runs in the fifth inning to set up Dufau's heroics.
In the top of the seventh, David King got on base on a two-out error. Jackson followed with a walk before Dufau went yard for the 8-6 margin.
The Cougars scored one run in the bottom of the ninth with a lead-off home run, but Ryan Dexter was able to shut down the Cuesta rally to preserve the 8-7 victory.
Jackson drew three walks to go along with his homer, scoring two runs in the game. Kawashima also totaled two hits and scored once. Dexter pitched the final four innings, giving up the one run on the one hit to pick up the win on the mound.
Ventura remains in the playoff chase with five regular season games remaining. They will host Oxnard on Friday April 19 in VC's final game of the year at Pirate Park.