2017 Ventura College Baseball Team News
The Ventura College Athletic Department is pleased to announce that Jimmy Walker has been named head baseball coach. Walker, who served as the Pirates’ pitching coach for the past two seasons, replaces longtime head coach Don Adams who retired in May after 37 years in the VC baseball program, 23 as the head coach.
The Ventura College baseball team had three players selected in the 2017 Major League Baseball that concluded Wednesday. VC alumnus Greg Minier '15 was selected in the 32nd round by the Chicago White Sox while current Pirates Austin Rubick and Andrew Nardi were taken by the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Yankees in the 20th and 39th rounds, respectively. These are VC's first draft picks since 2014 when Ryan Jones '11 was taken by the White Sox.
Pirate starting pitcher Justin Friedman has been named All-Southern California by the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association. The transfer sophomore from Pittstown, NJ led Ventura with an overall record of 8-2 in 12 starts, with a 2.15 earned run average. He recorded 67 strikeouts against 28 walks over 79.2 innings of work.
Four additional members of the Pirate baseball team have signed scholarship offers this spring, the VC coaching staff has announced. Right-handed pitcher Dylan Francis (Thousand Oaks HS), left-handed pitcher Kodi Koorndyke (Oxnard HS), second baseman Brendan Griffin (Saugus HS) and outfielder T.J. Drufee all inked offers to continue their academic and athletic careers at the four-year level earlier this month.
The Pirate baseball team had five players earn first-team All-Western State Conference North Division honors in voting by the conference coaches earlier this month. The list was headlined by sophomores Blake Chiaramonte, Kaden Betsch and Justin Friedman along with freshmen Elijah Alexander and Rodolfo Aguilar. Additionally, retiring head coach Don Adams was selected as the Co-Coach of the Year.
Transfer sophomore Justin Friedman made a strong case for Western State Conference pitcher of the year Thursday, pitching a five-hit shutout over conference champion Santa Barbara in the Pirates' season finale at Pirate Park. The University of San Diego signee struck out eight Vaqueros, hanging nine zero's on the board for the victory, pushing VC into a third place tie in the final conference standings. The day will also be remembered as longtime skipper Don Adams' final game as manager of the Pirates.
The fight is still there, as is the hard luck for the Pirates. The Ventura College baseball team made its final road trip of the season to first-place Santa Barbara, coming away with a narrow 6-5 decision at Pershing park. T.J. Durfee pounded out four hits, including a double, with two runs scored and a run batted in and Rudolfo Aguilar had three hits with a double, a runs scored and three RBI for VC (19-20, 9-10).
In what has become a month of heartbreak for the Ventura College baseball team, the Pirates had another hard-luck loss Saturday at Pirate Park, falling 7-6 to visiting Allan Hancock. VC (19-19, 9-9) opened up a 5-0 lead after two innings, and led 6-3 after five before allowing the game-winning runs in the top of the ninth frame. Rodolfo Aguilar had a pair of hits while scoring two runs and Chris McKee also had two hits in the game.
The Pirate baseball team got back on track with a 5-4 victory at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria Thursday Brendan Griffith had two hits with an RBI and two runs scored and Kaden Betsch knocked out a pair of hits with two runs batted in to lead VC (19-18, 9-8). Justin Friedman scattered 10 hits through seven innings, allowing three runs while striking out six to pick up his seventh win of the season. Taylor Campos picked up his third save with two frames of relief work.
A long road trip got even longer Tuesday when the Pirate baseball team dropped an 8-7 decision in San Luis Obispo to Cuesta College in a marathon 16-inning game. The Pirates had brief leads of 6-3 and 7-6, but could not hold on, nor find a way to score in the seven extra frames in the loss. The VC bullpen was outstanding, allowing just two runs in 13 innings of work. Elijah Alexander had four hits at the plate, including a double, with two runs scored and a stolen base.
The Ventura College baseball team concluded its non-conference docket Saturday afternoon, hosting Orange Coast at Pirate Park. The VC Pirates fell to the state No. 2-ranked OCC Pirates 11-5, ending a rough non-conference week for Ventura as they prepare for the home stretch of the Western State Conference North Division race.
The Pirate baseball team had scoring chances, but could not find home plate in a 6-0 loss to visiting Taft College at Pirate Park Friday. Chris McKee and Elijah Alexander each had two hits and each recorded a stolen base in the non-conference match-up. Justin Friedman pitched seven innings, giving up three runs to give the Pirates a chance in the game, but took the hard-luck loss.
For eight of the nine innings Wednesday, the Pirate baseball team gave No. 6-ranked Riverside fits. Unfortunately, the other inning was a rough one for VC. The Pirates led the Tigers 7-0 going into the bottom of the fifth inning and had two outs and two strikes before RCC rallied for an eight-run inning. VC (18-15, 8-7) was unable to score again, and the Tigers plated an insurance run in the seventh in the 9-7 decision. Blake Chiaramonte was 4-5 with 3 RBI and a run scored. Brendan Griffith had an RBI triple.
The Pirate baseball team dropped their second of five games this week, 5-4 to visiting Pasadena Tuesday at Pirate Park. After falling behind 4-0, Ventura (18-14, 8-7) almost completed the comeback, recording the final out with the tying run on base and the potential game winner at bat in the bottom of the ninth. Elijah Alexander went 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored and Nick Bero was 2-3 with two runs scored. Taylor Campos doubled and drove in a run while Bryson Wallet homered for VC.
The Pirate baseball team took a 3-0 lead after three innings on the shoulders of centerfielder Elijah Alexander, but could not make hold up, falling 10-3 Saturday at College of the Canyons in a non-conference game. Alexander had two hits, including a two-run home run, scored two runs and added a stolen base for Ventura (18-13, 8-7).
The Pirate baseball team rebounded from a difficult result Thursday to beat visiting Cuesta 7-2 Friday afternoon at Pirate Park. Dylan Francis earned his fourth win of the season with seven innings on the mound allowing two runs and striking out four. Jackson Hickert earned his third save of the year with two scoreless innings of relief. Elijah Alexander and Chris McKee each picked up three hits for Ventura (18-12, 8-7).
