Pirates drop doubleheader to San Francisco

It was a rough day for Porterville College pitchers on Friday. City College of San Francisco came to town and put up a combined 27 runs over two games to sweep a doubleheader at Pirate Stadium. CCSF took the opening game by a score of 10-0 in eight innings and needed just seven innings to win 17-8 later that afternoon.

Porterville totaled just four hits in the opener off San Francisco starter Travis Herriott, with two coming from third baseman Moses Garza.

Despite the lopsided final score, the game was close until the late innings. CCSF scored three runs in the top of the fourth off PC starter Alfredo Vasquez and were held at bay until the seventh. The Rams added two runs in that frame and broke the game open with a five-run, eighth-inning to seal their victory.

Vasquez took the loss as he tossed 6 1/3 innings and allowed four earned runs and nine hits. He struck out four and walked none.

Porterville's offense came alive in the second game, striking for five runs in the bottom of the fifth on its way to a season-high eight. Unfortunately, the Pirates were already down 11-1 at that point before having the game called after seven innings.

Chris Brandon and Justin Turner both drove in two runs in the contest as part of the five-run fifth. Brandon smacked a two-run double and Turner drove in a pair with a single after Nico Portillo plated the first run of the frame with a single.

Brandon and Turner both went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI to lead Porterville at the plate.

Matt Cox and David Trotta added sacrifice flies to score runs and Leeland Crawford added a RBI single.

Derek Steidly II took the loss after allowing five earned runs and seven hits over 2 2/3 innings.

The losses dropped Porterville to 0-8 overall. The Pirates will look to pick up their first win of the season when the three-game series concludes on Saturday at 10 a.m.