VC Sweeps Double-Header at Hancock

The third time was the charm for the Pirates. Playing their third double-header of the season, the Ventura College baseball team bucked the trend of splitting a twin-bill by sweeping the Allan Hancock College Bulldogs 5-4 and 10-7 in Santa Maria on Saturday. Max Baldaccini had four hits, including a pair of doubles, with two runs scored and a run batted in during the opener while Elijah Maris hit a pair of doubles with three runs scored and two RBI and Nick Schnopp was 3-4 with three runs and an RBI in the nightcap for the Pirates (4-2).

Ventura 5, Hancock 4

The Pirates scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie and held off the Bulldogs late to win the opener Saturday, 5-4. Baldaccini was 4-5 in the game to lead the offense while Casey Turturici was 2-3 with a double, scoring once while batting in one run. Maris pounded out three singles with an RBI. Josiah Blatt pitched 2.2 innings of relief to pick up the win and Dawson Radik had a four-out save on the hill.

VC took an early lead in the top of the second inning when Baldaccini and Turturici hit back-to-back doubles with one out for a 1-0 advantage.  The Bulldogs tied the score in the bottom half of the frame and took a 2-1 lead in the third inning.

Ventura knotted the game up once again in the sixth inning. Chase McBean led off with a single and stole second. He advanced to third base on Anthony Chavez's fly-out to centerfield, then came home on the next at bat, a single by Baldaccini.

The Pirates took control of the game late with a three-run eighth inning. With one out Baldaccini doubled, then advanced to third on a passed ball. Turturici drew an intentional walk before Ramon Torres hit an RBI single. John Oleson added another single to move the runners ahead 90 feet, then Maris scored Turturici with another single. Torres scored the third run of the frame on Hunter Klingelhoffer's sacrifice fly to left field.

In the bottom half of the eighth, Hancock scored twice before Radik came in to put out the fire, stranding a pair of base runners. He shut down AHC in order in the ninth to preserve the 5-4 VC win.

Ventura 10, Hancock 7

Ventura came from behind three times in the nightcap, scoring eight runs in the final two columns of the seven-inning game. Schnopp led the 14-hit VC attack with three singles, three runs scored and an RBI and Maris had two doubles, two RBI and three runs scored. JR Godinez recorded a pair of hits while batting in three and Torres had two hits with two runs. Radik picked up the win after pitching the fifth inning and Robby Keister had a four-out save to preserve the victory.

Hancock took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second, and the Pirates rebounded with a pair of scores in the third. Schnopp had a one-out single and moved to second on a passed ball before scoring on Maris' double. Godinez followed with an RBI single to tie the score at two.

The Bulldogs scored again in the bottom of the fourth for a 3-2 advantage, an Ventura had another answer in the next half inning. Schnopp led off with another single and Maris doubled to put runners at second and third. Both runners advanced 90 feet on Godinez's sacrifice fly to right field with Schnopp scoring, and Maris scored on a wild pitch one out later. Ventura led 4-3 in the middle of the fifth inning.

AHC again scored twice in the bottom of the frame for a 5-4 advantage, the fourth lead change of the game. 

VC came from behind for a third time in the sixth inning. Torres, Oleson and Schnopp hit consecutive singles with Torres crossing the plate after the latter. After an intentional walk to Maris to load the bases, the Bulldogs got a force out at home when Godinez reached on a fielder's choice. Then McBean came up with the clutch two-out single to score two runs for a 7-5 margin.

Hancock scored once in the bottom of the sixth to close the gap to a single run, but the Pirates had another answer in the top of the seventh. Baldaccini led off with a single, and one out later Torres singled, moving to second on an error. With runners on second and third, Oleson received an intentional pass to load the bases.  After another out, Maris reached base on an error that scored Baldaccini. Godinez the walked to score Torres, and then Oleson scored on a wild pitch for a 10-6 score.

The Bulldogs scored once in the final half inning on three hits, but Keister struck out the side to finish the game for the save.

The Pirates used seven pitchers in the game, striking out 13 batters.

Ventura returns to the friendly confines of Pirate Park on Thursday April 22 hosting Oxnard College in a double-header beginning at 11:30 am.