TAFT – Porterville College totaled just five hits in a tough 14-3 loss at Taft College on Tuesday in the opening game of a three-game Central Valley Conference series.

Taft surged out to a 13-0 lead before the Pirates rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Deven Gomez and Aidan Lessnau hit RBI singles while Koda Larsen scored thanks to a TC error.

Levi Hall went 2 for 3 with a stolen base to lead PC on offense.

Kyle Rader took the loss after allowing 7 earned runs and 8 hits over 2 1/3 innings. Garrett Dykstra (1 1/3 innings) and Jason Kramlich (1 inning) had scoreless outings in relief for the Pirates.

The loss dropped Porterville to 4-22 overall and 1-12 in Central Valley Conference play. The CVC series resumes on Thursday (Mar. 30) with a 2 p.m. game at home and concludes on Saturday (Apr. 1) back at Taft at 1 p.m.