It was a rough season-opener for the Porterville College Pirates and new head coach Rich Sorensen. On Friday, Porterville pitchers allowed 18 hits in a 17-3 loss to visiting Lassen Community College as the two squads began a three-game series.
PC totaled seven hits in the contest but couldn't get much going offensively. Lassen opened the game with a pair of runs in the first and went ahead 4-0 after three innings.
But in the bottom of the third, Ryan Pearce smacked a RBI double to drive in Brandon Lozano and two batters later came in to score on passed to cut the Lassen lead in half. But Lassen responded with two more runs in the fourth and put the game out of reach with a four-run, sixth inning.
Lozano was credited with the final RBI for the Pirates after bringing home Eric Loredo with his fielder's choice grounder in the eighth.
Jhared Gonzalez got the loss for PC after allowing six runs (five earned) and six hits over 3 2/3 innings. Pearce had two hits to lead Porterville at the plate.
The three-game non-conference series closes out on Saturday (Jan. 27) with a doubleheader that begins at 10 a.m.
