Ventura Closes Season with Double-Header Sweep

The Ventura College baseball team kept its offense humming on Saturday, defeating Antelope valley 10-3 and 10-8 to close the 2021 Covid-shortened season at Pirate Park. Catcher Max Baldaccini had three hits on the day, including a double and a home run, while scoring three times with six runs batted in to lead the offense. Joseph Wiersma pitched four innings in starting Game 1, giving up one run with four strikeouts while Robby Keister picked up the win in Game 2, throwing five complete allowing two hits and one run while punching out five.

Ventura 10, Antelope Valley 3

VC scored two runs in the first inning and pulled away late in the 7-inning opener against the Marauders. Wiersma was the winning pitcher, hurling four complete while scattering six hits and giving up one earned run. Anthony Betancourt and Travis Nelson each had scoreless outings out of the bullpen for the Pirates. Baldaccini and Casey Turturici each went yard for VC with four and three RBI, respectively, in the game. Ramon Torres had two hits and three RBI in the game while Chase McBean recorded three hits, including a double.

The Pirates took the early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first inning. McBean and JR Godinez led off with singles, and they advanced 90 feet on Elijah Maris' sacrifice bunt. Baldaccini followed with a two-RBI single for the 2-0 advantage.

Antelope Valley scored once in the second inning before VC broke the game open with a four-run fourth. With two outs, John Oleson walked and Garrick Levesque singled, moving to second on the trow back to the infield. Torres singled to knock in Oleson before he stole second base, and Turturici cleared the bases with a three-run home run.

VC added three more scores in the fifth inning. Baldaccini led off with a solo home run, and Anthony Chavez and Oleson each singled, moving to scoring position on the throw to the infield. Two outs later Torres had a clutch two-RBI single to make it 9-1.

Antelope Valley scored twice in the sixth inning to cut into the margin, and Ventura added an insurance run in the bottom half of the frame. Maris led off with a double, moving to third on a wild pitch. Baldaccini followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to score Maris and set the final 10-3 margin.

Ventura 10, Antelope Valley 8

The Pirates built a comfortable 10-2 advantage through eight innings before holding off the Marauders, who came back with a six-run ninth inning. Keister picked up the win on the mound giving up two hits and one run through five complete innings of work, striking out five batters. Travis Nelson came on in the ninth to close out AVC for the save. Chavez had two doubles and three RBI while Baldaccini also had a double while scoring twice with and batting in two runs. 

AVC took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, and the Pirates responded with a score in the bottom half of the frame. Oleson led off with a single and moved to second on a passed ball. Levesque reached base on an error, and was caught stealing second.  On the attempted steal, Oleson ran home to even the score at 1-1.

Ventura took the lead for good with a three-run third inning. McBean walked and Godinez go on base on an error to lead things off. Both runners advanced on Maris' ground out and Baldaccini followed with a two-RBI double. Chavez then doubled home Baldaccini and VC led 4-1.

VC added three more runs in the sixth inning with a two-out rally. Oleson led off the inning by reaching base on an error and stole second, two outs later Turturici tripled him home and McBean singled to score Turturici. Godinez and Maris were each hit by a pitch to load the bases, and after a pitching change, McBean scored from third on a wild pitch.

The Pirates allowed one run in the seventh inning but still led 7-2.  In the eight, Ventura scored three insurance runs. McBean drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a wild pitch, one out later Maris singled McBean home, and Baldaccini reached base on an error. Then Chavez hit a double to score tow more runs for the Pirates as they led 10-2 headed to the ninth.

The Marauders rallied, however, and scored six times in the final inning to make things interesting. AVC had the tying-runners on second and third with two outs when Edgar Padilla fielded a hopper to third, racing to throw the runner out at first, where Nolan Coon made a nifty catch out of the dirt to complete the force out and preserve the win.

Ventura ends the season with a 15-13 record, 11-9 in Western State Conference games.  They won seven of their final eight games to end the season on a high note headed into the off-season and 2021-22.