The Ventura College baseball team proved it wasn’t afraid to play away from home, winning a rare game in Oxnard, 5-2. The crowd, although somewhat dismayed by the foul weather, was still giving spirited support to their individual teams.

Ventura College sophomore pitcher Jake Renshaw was able to pitch a complete game, his fourth of the season, and his second straight against Oxnard. It seemed Ventura’s strength came from their pitcher who had a definite advantage over Oxnard’s with the entire game. Renshaw seemed to be putting in some heated pitching despite the rain. Renshaw, 5-2, only allowed five hits while striking out 12 Oxnard players.

The Pirate offense was a big contributor in the game when sophomores Colin Timmons and Nick DiNapoli hit back-to-back solo home runs in the sixth inning, giving Ventura a 3-2 lead. That was all Ventura needed to clinch the win shutting down Oxnard’s offense and dominating the field.

The win for Ventura was the second this season at Oxnard College since March 2, when Ventura beat Oxnard, 2-1, and was able to break a seven year drought that dated all the way back to 1999. All the action seemed to liven up the crowd until the rain persisted and eventually started to pour hard enough to clear the outside of the field. Despite the poor condition of the pitchers mound, the game didn’t stop.

The Condor’s only runs came in the fifth inning when Nick Pierson hit an RBI triple, helping Oxnard score and bring in a run. After a wild pitch by Renshaw, Pierson was able to score and give Oxnard a 2-1 lead.

Ventura’s win could not have taken place if it were not for the back-to-back home runs in the sixth by DiNapoli and Timmons, since the rainy weather was becoming a factor in the game. The victory should bring up Ventura’s morale enough to keep them playing strong for the rest of the season and give Oxnard a real run for the money. Oxnard will next play against Santa Barbara.