Baseball Drops Final Two Games of Cuesta Series

The VC baseball team dropped the final two decision of this week's Cuesta series, falling 17-8 Thursday before battling to a 5-4 setback Saturday. Brandon Contreras had four hits, including a pair of doubles, wit three runs batted in on Thursday and Matthew Ramirez knocked out three hits, also with a double, and scored a run Saturday.

Ventura struck first Thursday in San Luis Obispo and mounted multiple rallies, but Cuesta's explosive middle innings proved too much in the 17-8 setback.

The game turned in the bottom of the third, when Cuesta broke open a 1-1 contest with a seven-run frame to take an 8-1 lead.

Ventura opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, capitalizing early as Aiden Nykoluk drove in the game's first run for a 1-0 advantage. Cuesta answered in the bottom of the second to even the score at 1-1, setting up the pivotal third inning. 

The Pirates showed resilience at the plate throughout the afternoon, finishing with 12 hits and putting together their best push in the fifth. Trailing 8-2, Ventura strung together quality at-bats in the top half of the inning and scored three times, with Contreras driving the offense to trim the deficit to 8-5.

Cuesta immediately countered in the bottom of the fifth, plating three runs to restore a six-run cushion at 11-5. The Cougars added three more runs in both the sixth and seventh innings, building the margin to 17-6 despite VC's efforts to slow the momentum.

Ventura continued to compete into the late innings. Lucas Martinov provided another offensive spark, reaching base three times and driving in four runs on two hits and a walk. His two-run knock in the top of the ninth capped the Pirates' scoring and cut the final deficit to 17-8. VC also received contributions up and down the order, leaving eight runners on base in a game that featured steady traffic on the basepaths.

The Pirates mounted a late comeback but came up one run short in a 5-4 loss to Cuesta on Saturday afternoon at Pirate Park. VC scored twice in the eighth and once in the ninth to trim a four-run deficit to a single run, and the Pirates had the game-winning run on base in the final frame before the last out was recorded.

Cuesta used a steady middle-innings surge to build what proved to be just enough cushion. The visitors broke a scoreless game with a run in the fourth, added two more in the fifth and tacked on two in the sixth to move in front 5-1. VC answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Pirates spent much of the afternoon playing from behind before the offense finally broke through again in the late innings.

Ventura began to chip away in the eighth, pushing across two runs to cut the margin to 5-3 and bring renewed energy to the home dugout. The Pirates then plated another run in the ninth to draw within 5-4 and brought the potential winning run into play.

Offensively, Ventura matched Cuesta in timely stretches and finished with 10 hits, leaving 12 runners on base. Ramirez led the Pirates' lineup, going 3-for-5 with a double to pace the attack. James Luderer added a key extra-base hit with a triple as VC generated late pressure against the Cougars.

Starting pitcher Will Kaczynski gave Ventura 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on 10 hits while striking out three in the losing effort. The Pirates' defense was solid behind the staff, playing error-free baseball, but were forced to navigate repeated traffic as Cuesta totaled 15 hits and left 11 runners on base. Ventura's bullpen limited further damage after the sixth, holding Cuesta scoreless over the final three frames to give the lineup a chance to climb back into the game.

The Pirates will next face Oxnard in a three-game set. VC will travel to the Condors on Tuesday and Saturday, Mar. 10 and 14, and host OC on Thursday Mar. 12.