Pirates open Fresno City series with loss

Central Valley Conference play continued for Porterville College on Tuesday as the Pirates began a three-game series with Fresno City College. PC couldn't contain one of the hottest teams in the state and suffered an 18-3 loss to the visiting Rams in Porterville.

Fresno banged out 15 hits against four Pirate pitchers and blew the game open with a pair of seven-run rallies in the sixth and seventh innings.

Porterville pitcher Landon Jordan pitched well in the start, allowing 4 runs and 3 hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out 7 but walked 9 batters which proved to be costly.

Fresno led 2-0 before the Pirates got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, PC loaded the bases after an error allowed Andres Garza to reach first and back-to-back singles by JT Edmunds and Isaiah Gomez. Collin King came through with a clutch base hit that drove in Garza and Edmunds to tie up the ball game.

But Fresno responded in the sixth. JD Ortiz' two-run home run gave FCC the lead for good.

A two-out FCC error allowed Brent Vasquez to score in the eighth for the Pirates final run.

PC totaled 6 hits in the contest, getting 2 from Fernando Montoya (2 for 5).

The loss dropped Porterville to 3-20 overall and 1-6 in the Central Valley Conference while Fresno improved to 17-3 and 7-0. The series continues on Thursday (Mar. 12) with Game 2 in Fresno at 3 p.m. The finale is set for Saturday (Mar. 14) back in Porterville, starting at 1 p.m.