Two was the magic number on Saturday as SBCC scored two runs in four different innings thanks to a pair of two-run homers by Kyle Froemke and Jarred Greene in an 8-3 baseball win over Ventura at Pershing Park.
The Vaqueros (12-7, 4-2 WSC North) won the week by taking two-of-three from Ventura (7-12, 2-7). They'll play the fourth and final game of the series on April 18 at Ventura.
Freshman right-hander Matthew Strother pitched seven strong innings, holding the Pirates to two runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked two while lowering his ERA to 2.84.
"I was mixing the fastball and changeup and they were out ahead of the changeup a lot," said Strother, who made his second start of the season. "I think I pitched seven innings once before. I felt good today. Being the starter was different but I liked it and felt comfortable."
Froemke and Jacob Bravo both went 2-3 with two RBIs. Bravo doubled down the right-field line in the first inning and scored on a two-out, inside-the-park homer by Froemke. The transfer from Oregon hit a sinking liner to center and the Pirates' Hunter Klingelhoffer dove for the ball but it bounced past him all the way to the 390-foot sign in straightaway center.
Froemke was waved around third by coach Casey Harms and scored easily when a relay throw was off-line.
Froemke, a transfer from Oregon who's going to Oregon State next year, is No. 3 in the state with five homers.
"It's been a while since I've had an inside-the-park home run," said Froemke. "I had a couple in Little League, for sure. I thought I was going to get a triple, then I saw coach Harms sending me, so I just kept going.
"This was a really good team win. We dominated defensively, our pitchers threw really well and Strother came in and pounded the zone. Our defense was ready to go. And we strung a lot of good at-bats together. When they made a mistake, we capitalized on it. We were ready to score runs and move runners, we played a good game today."
Froemke appeared in 35 games for Oregon last year, then decided to transfer after the coaching staff was let go. "I had a friend who knew a guy who coached at Oregon State and they decided to give me a chance," said Froemke. "I'm going to be a Beaver. It's pretty unique to play a year at Oregon and then end up at Oregon State."
The Vaqueros added two more in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead. Noah Williamson singled up the middle and Ryan Guardino doubled to right center. Guardino, who leads the WSC North in batting (.416) and stolen bases (13), has a 17-game hitting streak. The former San Marcos High star has hit safely in every game he's played this year.
Bravo delivered an RBI single and Guardino scored when Alonzo Rubalcaba hit into a double play.
SBCC didn't have an error on Saturday and turned a season-high four double plays, including one started by second baseman Brandon Lawrence to end the game. Ventura had already scored the first earned run of the season off Jake McBride in the ninth and had the bases loaded when Lawrence made a nice stop and started the game-ending 4-6-3 double play.
"Froemke's homer was a two-strike, two-out RBI that turned into two runs," said coach Jeff Walker. "That was big to get us going the right way. We did a good job against a good pitcher with quality at-bats and we put some balls in play hard. We were patient and waited for our pitches.
"Normally, the Player of the Game would go to an offensive guy but Strother was definitely the guy today. Strother was good pitching with a lead and getting to play downhill."
Lawrence opened the fifth with a double into the right-field corner and scored on a scary single by Guardino. He drilled a line drive off the chest of starter Noah Proffitt and Profitt threw three pitches to Bravo before leaving the game. Bravo's groundout to short off reliever Noah Bullard scored Williamson and the Vaqueros led 6-2.
Guardino made a superior catch a few feet from the center-field fence on a drive by Jacob Harris in the ninth.
The Vaqueros were scheduled to host Hancock on Tuesday but they've moved it up to Monday at 2:30 p.m. to avoid the expected rain on Tuesday.
