Porterville sweeps doubleheader from Siskiyous for first wins of 2020

Two ball games, two wins for the Porterville College Pirates on Wednesday as they swept a doubleheader from visiting College of the Siskiyous for their first victories of the 2020 season. Behind a strong starting pitching effort from Aaron Hernandez and a pair of home runs from Colin King, PC took the opener 6-2 and used a walk-off win to edge the Eagles 2-1 in Game 2 to close out the day.

The two teams will play another doubleheader on Thursday (Jan. 30) to wrap up a four-game non-conference series.

Hernandez went the distance in a scheduled seven-inning game. Making his second start of the season, he allowed two runs and six hits while striking out four on his way to his first win. After giving up a first-inning run, he held Siskiyous scoreless until allowing its second run in the sixth.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Porterville rallied for a pair of two-out runs to jump ahead. JT Edmonds smashed an RBI triple to bring home Brandon Dodd before Santiago Sanchez singled to drive in Edmonds and give PC the lead.

Up 2-1, King smashed the first of two solo home runs in the third inning. He then launched another solo shot in the fifth as part of a three-run surge. King went 2 for 3 at the plate with 2 RBI and a pair of runs to lead the Pirates.

Game 2 needed an extra inning to decide the winner. With the score tied 1-1, a pair of Siskiyous errors led the Pirates victory. Sanchez opened the frame by reaching base on an error by the Eagles shortstop. Sanchez came in to score the winning run all the way from first base thanks to a throwing error by Siskiyous pitcher Isaac Lindsey on a ball hit by Andres Garza.

Earlier in the game, Matthew Cloyd drove in Garza with a RBI single in the second to give PC a 1-0 lead.

Luis Garay was nearly perfect in the start. He went 3 2/3 innings, allowing just one hit and no runs. David Jimenez closed out the victory, tossing the final 4 1/3 innings. He gave up a run and five hits while striking out three.

Wednesday's victories improved Porterville to 2-3 overall.