The VC baseball team used a nine-run fifth inning to fuel a 12-6 win at Compton Saturday afternoon. Henry Borjas was 3-5 on the day with three runs batted in and two runs scored to lead the way for the Pirates (2-2). Ben Drumheller knocked in a pair of runs on two hits and Matthew Ramirez scored twice for VC in the victory. Ramirez, Jacob Tostado and Lucas Martinov all had extra base hits in the game.
Jaden Valdez started on the mound, picking up the win by throwing five complete innings and limiting the Tartars to four earned runs. Martinov pitched a pair of scoreless innings and Tostado took the mound for the final two frames.
Ventura took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when Borjas scored from second base on an error by the catcher. Compton then tied the game in the bottom half of the column.
The Pirates sent 14 batters to the plate in their nine-run fifth inning. Tostado, Drumheller and Martinov hit consecutive RBI singles, Drumheller with a pair of RBI, after VC loaded the bases with no outs. After a pitching change, Ramirez and Riley Dalto drew back to back walks to force in another score. Borjas had a two-RBI single after another change on the mound before Grant Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly and Hector Pina hit a groundout to second to score another run.
Compton came back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Pirates still led 10-4.
Borjas hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth to score Ramirez, and Tommy Castaneda singled home Dalto to extend the lead to 12-4.
The Tartars plated a pair of scores in the bottom of the eighth, but never threatened the Pirates in the 12-6 decision.
VC next travels to Irvine Valley on Tuesday Feb. 4 before a two-game set against Riverside on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7 and 8. VC hosts the Tigers on Friday at 2:00 pm.