The Pirate baseball team came back twice on the visiting Oxnard Condors, only to see OC prevail with late rallies in two games Thursday afternoon at Pirate Park. Ventura (4-4) trailed 5-0 in game one, coming back to tie the score before Oxnard plated three runs in the ninth inning. In the nightcap, VC fell behind big before a six-run sixth inning closed the gap to a single run before OC scored twice in the final frame of the seven-inning contest.
Ventura 5, Oxnard 8
The Condors took control of the game early taking advantage of walks and Pirate miscues in the field to score five runs in the top of the third inning. VC answered, however with three runs in the bottom half of the frame. Hunter Klingelhoffer led off the inning with a single and advanced to third when Noel Garcia reached base on an error. Klingelhoffer then scored on an error while Garcia was stealing second base. John Oleson followed by getting on base on another Condor error as Garcia scored from third. Oleson then moved into scoring position on a passed ball and one out later moved to third on a JR Godinez single. Oleson then scored on a classic double-steal to make the score 5-3 for Oxnard.
Ventura tied the game with a two-spot in the bottom of the fifth inning. Anthony Arancibia-Mundy led off with a walk and scored on Godinez's triple. Chase McBean followed with a walk and, after a pitching change, stole second. Godinez then scored on Anthony Chavez's sacrifice fly to center to even the score at 5-5.
Over the ensuing frames the Pirates had a couple of walks and a pair of base hits but could not manufacture any scores. In the eighth, they loaded the bases with two outs but could not find the clutch hit.
In the top of the ninth, Oxnard scored three runs on a pair of hits, a walk and an error and VC was retired in order to end the game.
Godinez finished with a pair of hits, a run scored and a run batted in to lead the offense. Max Flame gave up five runs, three earned in the start on the mound for Ventura while Jonah Schaller, Josiah Blatt, Anthony Betancourt and Dawson Radik all had scoreless stints on the hill out of the bullpen. Robby Keister took the loss yielding two earned runs in 2.1 innings of work.
Ventura 8, Oxnard 11
The Pirates also fell in the nightcap by a three-run margin, 11-8. VC used a six-run sixth inning to climb back into the game but could not complete the comeback. Oleson had a pair of base hits with two runs scored while Nick Schnopp, Ramon Torres and Elijah Maris all had a single, a run scored and an RBI.
OC scored twice in the first inning and VC answered with a run in the second. Oleson reached base on an error, ending up at second, and moved to third on a passed ball. One out later he scored when Travis Vaala reached base on an error.
The Condors then exploded for six runs in the top of the sixth inning to take an 8-1 advantage. The Pirates began their comeback with another score in the fourth. Chavez and Oleson began the inning with back-to-back singles, then Chavez scored on Torres' sacrifice fly.
After Oxnard scored one more run in the top of the sixth, the Pirates made a valiant effort to get back in the game in the bottom of the inning. With one out Oleson singled and Torres reached on an error. After a pitching change Connor Laeng walked to load the bases. Keister was then hit by a pitch scoring Oleson and Maris walked to plate Torres. Schnopp also drew a base-on-balls to score Laeng, and the runners all advanced on a wild pitch scoring Keister and Maris scored on an error by the catcher. Schnopp then scored on a wild pitch to make it 9-8 for OC headed to the final frame.
Unfortunately for the Pirates, Oxnard scored twice more in the seventh to set the final score at 11-8.
Jake Read took the loss on the mound in the start and Oscar Magana threw three innings, giving up one run. Betancourt and Radik finished out the seventh for VC.
Ventura begins Western State Conference play on Thursday April 29 by traveling to Moorpark for a double-header.