Pirates open CVC series with 8-5 win at West Hills Coalinga

Porterville College centerfielder Alex Sarmienta drove in three runs while catcher Tim Martinez had three hits to help lead the Pirates to an 8-5 win at West Hills College Coalinga as the squads opened a three-game Central Valley Conference series on Tuesday.

PC won its second consecutive game to improve to 3-26 overall and 2-8 in conference play. The series moves to Porterville on Thursday (April 5) starting at 2 p.m. with the series finale back in Coalinga on Saturday (April 7) at 1 p.m.

The Pirates jumped on West Hills starter Andrew Castro early as they rallied to score four runs in the top of the second inning. Sarmienta's two-run single was the big blow of the frame while Isaiah Gomez had a RBI single and Brandon Lozano's fielder's choice grounder brought in another run.

Sarmienta drove in another run with a single in the fourth to extend Porterville's lead to 5-0. West Hills responded with three runs in the sixth before the Pirates added a run in the seventh and two more in the eighth.

West Hills made things interesting by scoring two final runs in the bottom of the eighth, but Ricky Reyes was able to get out of the jam and stranded a pair of runners in the ninth to close out the win.

Matt Cox earned the win for PC after allowing three runs and three hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked one.