Ventura Drops Narrow Decision at Santa Barbara

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 Rodolfo Aguilar had three hits with a double, a runs scored and three RBI for VC (19-20, 9-10). 

The Pirates took a 2-0 lead with a pair of scores in the second inning. With one out, Kaden Betsch doubled down the right field line, and Durfee had an RBI single to right field. After Shane Gipson walked and Chris McKee was hit by a pitch, Aguilar knocked in Durfee with a single to left field.

SBCC tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the third, then took a 4-2 advantage with another pair of scores in the fourth. The Vaqueros followed with a single run in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead.

Ventura tied the game with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Durfee smacked a one-out double to right field, and after the second out, McKee singled, moving Durfee to third. McKee went to second base on a wild pitch before Aguilar knocked in both runners with a double to the gap in right center. After a pitching change, Blake Chiaramonte reached base on an error that scored Aguilar from second.

THe even game was short-lived, however, as Santa Barbara countered with a run in the bottom half of the frame to set the final 6-5 margin.

Transfer sophomore Austin Rubick made his final start in the orange and black, pitching 3.2 innings and yielding four runs. Jackson Hickert threw and inning and a third and Andrew Nardi finished the game on the hill.

The Pirates will finish the season on Thursday April 27 at Pirate Park with the Vaqueros visiting. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 pm.