Moorpark, Ventura Put Finishing Touches on Foes : Pirates: A seven-run ninth inning knocks Canyons out of WSC lead.

Leads in the hit-happy world of junior college baseball are about as secure as paintings in Boston’s Gardner Museum.

However, the game Ventura stole from Canyons on Thursday afternoon was something less than a masterpiece.

This 3 1/2-hour gem included 11 errors, 11 walks, 11 pitchers, three wild pitches and two hit batters.

Visiting Ventura finally determined the outcome by scoring seven runs in the top of the ninth to overcome a three-run deficit and win, 15-11, knocking Canyons out of first place in the Western State Conference.

“It definitely wasn’t pretty, but I was proud of the team,” Ventura Coach Gary Anglin said. “This is one of my biggest wins in my 13 years here. To keep battling and beat Canyons at home . . . they don’t lose here too often.”

In the decisive ninth, the first eight batters reached base for Ventura (14-9, 6-6), which pounded out six hits in the rally.

Canyons reliever Jason Farrell (1-3) entered the game with no earned runs allowed in 9 2/3 innings of WSC play but failed to get an out in the ninth and was charged with six runs and the loss.

Canyons (17-8, 9-3), tied with Cuesta for second place in the WSC, loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but Ventura’s Rick Pearn induced the only batter he faced to hit into a game-ending double play. Bryan Leiser (4-0) picked up the first out of the ninth on a strikeout and earned the win.

Canyons ace Mike Teich had been scheduled to start but could not because of soreness in his arm. Lance Gibson replaced Teich and surrendered six runs in the first two innings, including a three-run home run by Tom Lunsford in the first and a two-run homer by Gabe Diaz in the second. Gibson eventually settled down, allowing only one run through the next four innings.

J. R. Trujillo hit a two-run home run for Canyons in the the first, and the Cougars pulled into a 7-7 tie after six innings. Canyons scored four more in the seventh, on a solo home run by Steve Kovacic and Ron Robart’s three-run shot.

Leadoff hitter Robart also doubled and singled and had five runs batted in. Bill Horvat scored four runs.

“We hit pretty well,” Canyons Coach Len Mohney said. “We just let one get away in the ninth.”

Al Sanderson scored four runs for Ventura.