Pirates Slug Their Way to Non-Conference Win

Traveling to Pasadena to complete their non-conference schedule the Ventura College baseball team used their second 20+ hit output of the season to pick up a 17-8 win. Tony Fonzo topped the Pirates going 3-3 on the day with two home runs, six RBI and five runs scored. Brison Cronenbold went 4-5 with a home run and four runs scored. Erick Allegro added four hits, four RBI and a run scored. T.J. Durfee made his first start and had four hits, four RBI and a run scored.

Ventura (13-10, 6-5) entered the week ranked No. 18 in So Cal and faced just one game on the schedule before returning to Western State Conference North play. The bats came alive early for the Pirates scoring nine runs in the first two innings. Cronenbold lead the game off with a home run to right field his first of the season. The Pirates added four more runs in the inning and then broke the game open in the second on a three run homerun from Fonzo his second of the season. Fonzo the extended the Pirate advantage to 11-2 after the first three innings when he blasted his second home run of the game and his third on the season to dead centerfield. Ventura scored three more runs in the fifth inning and wrapped up their scoring with two runs in the ninth inning. 

The 17 runs ties their season high for the season and the 20 hits is their second largest total of the season. Fonzo broke his season high for runs produced in a game with 11 on the day topping the eight runs he produced against Citrus earlier in the season. Robert Stephan scored three runs for the Pirates. Cody Pope collected two hits and drove in one run with a double. Cronenbold finished the day a triple shy of the cycle with a home run, two doubles and a single.

Nate Green started for the Pirates going four innings allowing nine hits and five runs. Ray Lambert came in relief for VC in the bottom of the fifth inning and went 4.1 innings of relief allowing two hits, no runs and striking out one hitter for his fourth win of the season.

Ventura will return to WSC North play on Tuesday Mar. 29 by traveling to Oxnard College for a 2:30 pm game. This will wrap up the Pirates first trip through conference play.