Porterville College freshman Annissa Gomez smashed a clutch three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Pirates to a 3-0 win over visiting Fresno City College in the opening game of a Central Valley Conference doubleheader on Tuesday. The momentum didn't carry on as it was the Rams that rallied late in Game 2, beating PC 6-4 to force a split.
Alexis Rodriguez turned in her finest performance in the circle this season in Game 1, allowing just one hit over the eight-inning, complete-game shutout win.
Gomez provided the walk-off winner with her three-run bomb in the eighth. She went 2 for 3 to lead the Pirates at the plate while Kuea Angilau and Raquel Gonzalez hit doubles.
The Pirates appeared to be on their way to the sweep after scoring three runs in the bottom of the first and one more in the second to take an early 4-1 lead in Game 2. But Fresno responded with two runs in the third and another in the fourth to tie up the ball game.
But the Rams went ahead for good in the seventh, scoring two runs off PC pitcher Ashley Eyraud. PC didn't have any late game magic left for the second contest and suffered the loss.
Ashley Rojo (2 for 4) had two hits for the Pirates while Chelsea Ramos hit a double, walked twice, and scored two runs from the leadoff spot.
Eyraud took the loss after allowing two runs and six hits over 4 2/3 innings.
With Tuesday's split, the Pirates moved to 10-5 overall and 2-1 in conference play. Porterville returns to action on Thursday (Mar. 14) to host Reedley College in a 1 p.m. CVC game.
