The Porterville College baseball team will be glad to not have face Merced College again this season. On Saturday, the Pirates wrapped up their three-game Central Valley Conference series with a 16-0 loss in Porterville to the Blue Devils. The tough defeat came just two days after a 17-1 setback on Thursday in Merced.

Porterville was swept in the series and has now lost six straight ball games. The Pirates, now 3-17 overall and 1-3 in CVC play, next open a three-game conference series vs. Taft College that begins on Tuesday (Mar. 14) at Taft.

Game 2: Merced 17, Porterville 1
Marcos Alvarez was the lone bright spot in an otherwise difficult loss for the Pirates on Thursday in Merced. He had three of Porterville's four hits in the game, going 3 for 4 with a double and RBI that scored Daniel Alviso in the seventh inning.

Pirate pitchers gave up 16 hits but Daryn Dashner was effective as he tossed a perfect eighth inning. Jhared Gonzalez took the loss after allowing nine runs (three earned) and seven hits over three innings.

Game 3: Merced 16, Porterville 0
The Pirates managed just two hits in the series finale at home on Saturday while the Blue Devils got offensive with 18. Moses Garza and Christian Sanchez hit singles for Porterville.

Matt Weis picked up the loss after allowing eight runs (just two earned) and nine hits over five innings.