Oxnard College is chasing Cuesta in the...

Oxnard College is chasing Cuesta in the Western State Conference Northern Division race and the Condors are proving they are up to the task.

The Condors (13-8, 7-2 in conference play) trail first-place Cuesta (16-4, 8-1) going into a game between the teams today at Oxnard. The Condors defeated Cuesta, 6-4, on Tuesday at San Luis Obispo.

“We are playing pretty well, but now we get to play the tougher teams in the conference,” Coach Jon Larson of Oxnard said. “We’ll find out what’s up.”

As if the Condors weren’t facing enough of a test with Cuesta, they’ll play Citrus at home on Saturday. The Owls are 15-4, 7-2, and lead the WSC Southern Division.

Larson is still amazed at the perfect game pitched by right-hander Patrick Dunn of Oxnard in a 6-0 victory over Ventura on March 9.

“With aluminum bats and all that, I’ve never heard of a perfect game in college,” Larson said.

Dunn, a freshman from Ventura High, struck out six and threw only 85 pitches.

“It was windy and he had the wind at his back,” Larson said. “He located real well. There might have been four hard hit balls the whole game.”

After being blown out in several early season games, Valley (2-19-2, 1-8 in WSC) has improved dramatically in the last few games, even if most ended in losses.

On Tuesday, right-hander Ismael Marin (1-3) put an end to Valley’s 15-game winless drought with a 3-0 gem at Bakersfield.

Marin, a sophomore from Chatsworth, allowed five hits and struck out six with no walks.

The last shutout by a Valley pitcher was by Alberto Flores against Santa Barbara in 1999.