PC roundup: Pirate men fall to Fresno

Porterville College men’s basketball coach T.J. Jennings has been talking about a sense of urgency all year and if there’s ever a time of the season for the Pirates to have a sense of urgency, it’s now.

“The time is now,” said Jennings after his team lost 80-61 to Central Valley Conference frontrunner Fresno City on Saturday at PC. And Jennings kept saying what’s most important for his team “is a sense of urgency.”

For whatever reason, Jennins said his team didn’t have that sense of urgency against Fresno City, which improved to 9-0 in the CVC. “The performance tonight wasn’t one that was enjoyable,” Jennings said. “I thought we lacked intensity from the gate. We didn’t really show up tonight.”

But all is not lost for PC (12-12, 5-4) as its battling College of the Sequoias (5-4 in the CVC) and West Hills for second in the CVC and a state playoff berth, beginning with a key game at COS on Wednesday. “We have our destiny in our hands.”

Against Fresno, Kameron Hoyt hit a three-pointer to tie the score for PC 5-5, but after that the Pirates were playing catchup the whole night. Miguel Perez scored inside and was fouled for PC. He converted the three-point play to bring Porterville to within 14-10.

Donald Lee hit a three to bring PC to within 21-18 and after Porterville fell behind 29-22, Mikey Hidalgo hit a three to bring PC to within 29-25. Fresno built a 13-point lead before Hoyt hit a three to bring PC to within 44-34.

But Fresno went on to build its biggest lead of 24 points at 78-54 before John Pavelzik hit two threes and a free throw to score seven straight points to bring PC to within 78-51.

Hoyt scored 14 points, Jason Carmichael had 13 points, Pavelzik had seven points and Miguel Perez and Jordan Wilkinson each added six points for PC.

MERCED 70, PC WOMEN 50

CVC power Merced was able to pull away after leading 36-26 at halftime at Merced. Merced hit 11 threes on the way to the win. In its last two games against Reedley and Merced, PC has been outshot from three-point range 23-7 as Reedley hit 12 threes. In its last two games, PC has been outscored 69-21 from beyong the arc.

Against Merced, Maribel Bravo hit all five of PC’s threes on her way to scoring 21 poins, Kee’Maya Snowden had seven points, Katrina Goulbourne and six points and seven rebounds, Tanzania Dunn scored six points and Janette Garado added three assists.

SOFTBALL

PC DROPS TWO

PC looked like it was going to pick up its first win of the year when it led Cabrillo 5-2 at home, but defensive breakdowns led to Cabrillo taking a 7-5 lead. Cabrillo went on to take a 10-5 lead before Porterville almost rallied for the win, falling 10-9. PC also lost the nightcap of the doubleheader 9-3.

“We had one really bad inning,” said PC coach Vickie Dugan about the opener. Dugan is still experimenting with her defense. “We’re still trying to figure out what works for us. We’ve got to be better defensively.”

A key play came in the fifth inning as Cabrillo scored three runs to take a 10-5 lead. PC centerfielder Taylor Ball almost made a spectacular diving catch that could have thwarted the rally, but she trapped the ball as it barely hit the ground.

Ginessa DeLang’s RBI single and Felicia Flavel’s two-run double brought PC to within 10-8 in the fifth. In the seventh, Rebecca Hurtado almost hit a game-tying two-run home run to right field, settling for a double off the fence. Then it looked like Flavel may have hit a game-winning three-run homer to left, but her ball was knocked down by the win. Flavel settled for an RBI sacrifice fly that made it 10-9 before PC fell short.

Despite banging out 16 hits, PC fell short. Delange went 4-for-4 with two doubles, Hurtado and Kenner each had two doubles, Flavel had three hits and a double, Isabel Cardenas had two hits and a double, Sam Saldana had two hits and Hannah Gonzalez added a hit. Hurtado also pitched two scoreless innings in relief.

In the nightcap, Keener had two doubles, Cardenas had two hits and Hurtado, Delang and Saldana all added a hit.

PC was also hurt by the fact that Sam Nalley was pitching with a strained hip flexor. “She gave us what she could give us,” Dugan said. “When we get her healthy we’ll see her typical game out of her again.”

BASEBALL

PC DROPS TWO

After winning its opener against Cerro Coso 4-0 on Friday, it was a much different story on Saturday for PC as Cerro Coso swept a doubleheader against the Pirates, winning the opener 20-2 and the nightcap 7-5.

PC did battle back in the nightcap, scoring three runs in the eight to pull within 6-5 after trailing 6-2. Nate Crocker tripled and James Lopez had an RBI triple during the rally. Cerro Coso scored a run in the ninth for the final margin.

Also for PC, Aaron Gray hit an RBI double, Robby Bonanno had two hits and Mitchell Villarreal added a hit.

In the opener, Crocker went 2-for-3 and Zack Watson and Lopez each added a hit. Tyler Curry did pitch a scoreless inning, striking out one.

Porterville College men’s basketball coach T.J. Jennings has been talking about a sense of urgency all year and if there’s ever a time of the season for the Pirates to have a sense of urgency, it’s now.

“The time is now,” said Jennings after his team lost 80-61 to Central Valley Conference frontrunner Fresno City on Saturday at PC. And Jennings kept saying what’s most important for his team “is a sense of urgency.”

For whatever reason, Jennins said his team didn’t have that sense of urgency against Fresno City, which improved to 9-0 in the CVC. “The performance tonight wasn’t one that was enjoyable,” Jennings said. “I thought we lacked intensity from the gate. We didn’t really show up tonight.”

But all is not lost for PC (12-12, 5-4) as its battling College of the Sequoias (5-4 in the CVC) and West Hills for second in the CVC and a state playoff berth, beginning with a key game at COS on Wednesday. “We have our destiny in our hands.”

Against Fresno, Kameron Hoyt hit a three-pointer to tie the score for PC 5-5, but after that the Pirates were playing catchup the whole night. Miguel Perez scored inside and was fouled for PC. He converted the three-point play to bring Porterville to within 14-10.

Donald Lee hit a three to bring PC to within 21-18 and after Porterville fell behind 29-22, Mikey Hidalgo hit a three to bring PC to within 29-25. Fresno built a 13-point lead before Hoyt hit a three to bring PC to within 44-34.

But Fresno went on to build its biggest lead of 24 points at 78-54 before John Pavelzik hit two threes and a free throw to score seven straight points to bring PC to within 78-51.

Hoyt scored 14 points, Jason Carmichael had 13 points, Pavelzik had seven points and Miguel Perez and Jordan Wilkinson each added six points for PC.

MERCED 70, PC WOMEN 50

CVC power Merced was able to pull away after leading 36-26 at halftime at Merced. Merced hit 11 threes on the way to the win. In its last two games against Reedley and Merced, PC has been outshot from three-point range 23-7 as Reedley hit 12 threes. In its last two games, PC has been outscored 69-21 from beyong the arc.

Against Merced, Maribel Bravo hit all five of PC’s threes on her way to scoring 21 poins, Kee’Maya Snowden had seven points, Katrina Goulbourne and six points and seven rebounds, Tanzania Dunn scored six points and Janette Garado added three assists.

SOFTBALL

PC DROPS TWO

PC looked like it was going to pick up its first win of the year when it led Cabrillo 5-2 at home, but defensive breakdowns led to Cabrillo taking a 7-5 lead. Cabrillo went on to take a 10-5 lead before Porterville almost rallied for the win, falling 10-9. PC also lost the nightcap of the doubleheader 9-3.

“We had one really bad inning,” said PC coach Vickie Dugan about the opener. Dugan is still experimenting with her defense. “We’re still trying to figure out what works for us. We’ve got to be better defensively.”

A key play came in the fifth inning as Cabrillo scored three runs to take a 10-5 lead. PC centerfielder Taylor Ball almost made a spectacular diving catch that could have thwarted the rally, but she trapped the ball as it barely hit the ground.

Ginessa DeLang’s RBI single and Felicia Flavel’s two-run double brought PC to within 10-8 in the fifth. In the seventh, Rebecca Hurtado almost hit a game-tying two-run home run to right field, settling for a double off the fence. Then it looked like Flavel may have hit a game-winning three-run homer to left, but her ball was knocked down by the win. Flavel settled for an RBI sacrifice fly that made it 10-9 before PC fell short.

Despite banging out 16 hits, PC fell short. Delange went 4-for-4 with two doubles, Hurtado and Kenner each had two doubles, Flavel had three hits and a double, Isabel Cardenas had two hits and a double, Sam Saldana had two hits and Hannah Gonzalez added a hit. Hurtado also pitched two scoreless innings in relief.

In the nightcap, Keener had two doubles, Cardenas had two hits and Hurtado, Delang and Saldana all added a hit.

PC was also hurt by the fact that Sam Nalley was pitching with a strained hip flexor. “She gave us what she could give us,” Dugan said. “When we get her healthy we’ll see her typical game out of her again.”

BASEBALL

PC DROPS TWO

After winning its opener against Cerro Coso 4-0 on Friday, it was a much different story on Saturday for PC as Cerro Coso swept a doubleheader against the Pirates, winning the opener 20-2 and the nightcap 7-5.

PC did battle back in the nightcap, scoring three runs in the eight to pull within 6-5 after trailing 6-2. Nate Crocker tripled and James Lopez had an RBI triple during the rally. Cerro Coso scored a run in the ninth for the final margin.

Also for PC, Aaron Gray hit an RBI double, Robby Bonanno had two hits and Mitchell Villarreal added a hit.

In the opener, Crocker went 2-for-3 and Zack Watson and Lopez each added a hit. Tyler Curry did pitch a scoreless inning, striking out one.