Pirates offense explodes in 19-7 win at West Hills

Porterville College posted season-highs with 19 runs and 22 hits as the Pirates won their third straight game on Thursday thanks to a 19-7 victory in Game 2 of a three-game Central Valley Conference series at West Hills College Coalinga.

Alex Sarmienta (2-for-4) and Luis Martinez (1-for-6) both drove in four runs each while Andres Garza also had had a big game by going 4-for-6 with 3 RBI. He smacked a bases-clearing triple in the fifth inning and scored four runs.

Amazingly, Porterville actually trailed in the ball game and was down 2-0 to West Hills in the second inning. But Eric Cox laced a RBI single in the bottom of the second to get the Pirates on the board before the flood gates opened.

PC put up five runs in the third, four in the fourth, and four more in the fifth to take a commanding 14-2 lead.

Andrew Vivanco started the contest and went 2 ⅓ innings. He allowed two runs and five hits before giving way to Leonardo Gomez. He was credited with the win in relief as he tossed 3 ⅔ scoreless innings while allowing just two hits.

Porterville, now 4-26 overall and 3-8 in conference play, will go for the three-game sweep on Saturday (April 7) at 3 p.m. when the squads wrap up the series back in Coalinga.