The VC baseball team scored seven runs in the bottom of the second inning Thursday and made it hold up in their 7-6 victory over Riverside at Pirate Park. Reiss Calvin and Casey Turturici each had two-RBI doubles in the frame as Ventura opened up a 7-1 lead against the Tigers, who scored runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings in their comeback bid. Max Flame picked up the win on the mound with five innings of work, allowing two hits and one run.
After Riverside scored one run in the top of the first, the PIrates countered with a big seven-run second frame. Turturici doubled to lead things off, and moved to third one batter later on a single by Ramon Torres. Both players moved ahead 90 feet on a passed ball with Turturici scoring VC's first run. After the second out of the inning, Andrew Savage doubled home Torres. KJ Moo-Young was hit by a pitch, and JR Godinez loaded the bases when he reached base on an error. The runners moved forward one base on another passed ball, with Savage scoring, and Calvin followed with a two-RBI double. John Oleson singled, then Turturici cleared the bases with a double, and Ventura led 7-1.
The score remained until the sixth inning, when RCC scored a pair of runs. They also scored twice in the seventh and one more time in the eighth, but Robby Keister was able to close the door in the ninth.
The Pirates will travel to College of the Canyons on Friday Feb. 18 before hosting Citrus on Saturday Feb. 19.