.jpg)
.png)
The Ventura County Bucs (6-6, 3-4 Sunset Baseball League) Fired on all cylinders Sunday, winning 9-4 while pitching a combined 1-hitter against the Trosky Redbirds (3-4, all SBL) at Torrey Pines High School.
“We kept our poise, we didn’t panic.” Bucs head coach Evan O’Meara said.
The Redbirds did all their damage in the first inning, as Pirates starter Luke Hempel allowed 4 runs, three of them on bases-loaded walks. Head Coach Evan Meara went to the bullpen after just one out, beginning what would become a special day for the Bucs.
Relievers Jackson Briscoe, Kai Purdy-Burton, Joel Porter, Xavier Dubon, and Drew Atherton combined to hurl 8.2 innings of shutout baseball allowing just one hit with six strikeouts. Purdy-Burton (2-0) faced the minimum in the 5th and earned the win.
Ventura’s pitching threatened to overshadow its stellar offense. Bucs left Fielder Dane Nakatsuka hit a solo blast in the first and Mitch Kurtz, who has struggled of late, was 2-4 with a double. Third baseman Robbie Treto also knocked two singles. Dirk Ryan broke out of a slump in fine fashion with a game-tying 3-run blast to left in the fourth inning.
“I was 0-for-twenty-something so it felt really good to really connect with the ball,” Ryan said. “I was just taking deep breaths in the on deck circle reminding myself to trust my hands.”
Bucs’ center fielder Sean Montoya continued to do Sean Montoya things, going 3-5 with a stolen base. His batting average on the season is now a ridiculous .640, by far the highest in the SBL.
“We took advantage of the opportunities that were presented today,” O’Meara said.
Ventura County continues its road trip with a game against the Signal Hill oilers at 4:30p.m. Monday, June 28th at Cerritos High School.
Comments