Pirate Baseball's Bats Awaken to Pick Up Road Win

The Ventura College baseball team wrapped up six straight road games in resounding fashion with a 17-9 win over West Hills Coalinga. The win is the Pirates third straight. Tony Fonzo went 5-5 on the day with two RBI's and three runs scored. Bryson Wallet went 4-5 with two RBI's, two runs scored, one walk and a double. Adisson Pelupessy was 3-4 with three RBI's and one run scored. 

Ventura (6-3) played eight of their first nine games on the road to prepare for the rugged Western State Conference North play. VC finished off the early season schedule with an offensive onslaught wrapping out 23 hits and 17 runs, including five extra base hits. Five Pirates collected multiple hits each with three or more hits. Ten Pirates in all picked up a hit in the game. 

The game was tightly contested until late with the Pirates trailing by two heading into the final two frames of the game. Ventura went up 3-0 early then the Falcons rallied back to tie it at three. VC went back up 5-3 after the top of the seventh, but WHC picked up four runs in the bottom half of the inning to hold a 7-5 advantage. Then the Pirates offense broke out in a huge way with 11 runs in the top of the eighth inning highlighted by a bases clearing triple from TJ Durfee.

Ryan Coker added three hits in the game with two runs and two RBI's. Brison Cronenbold was 3-6 with two runs scored and a RBI. Erick Allegro doubled, scored two runs and drove in one run. Fonzo, Pelupessy and Vinny Avila each had a sacrifice fly.

Zachary Martirano started for the Pirates going 5.2 innings with five hits allowed and three runs allowed. Tyler Esquivel pitched out of an inherited bases loaded no out jam to pick up the victory as the Pirates came back. It is Esquivel's first win of the season.

Ventura will now prepare for WSC North play which will open on Saturday Feb. 20 with a 1:00 pm game against Allan Hancock at the Pirate baseball complex.