Annisa Gomez' two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning proved to the game-winner for Porterville College in a narrow 3-2 Central Valley Conference victory at Reedley College on Tuesday. The Pirates earned a split with the Tigers after dropping the opening game of the doubleheader by a final score of 7-4.
Gomez did all the damage for the Pirates in the win. In the top of the first, she smacked a RBI double to score Sayra Sanchez to give PC an early 1-0 lead.
Reedley responded with single runs in the second and third innings off Porterville starter Ashley Eyraud to go back out in front.
The score remained 2-1 all the way until the sixth. Reedley elected to intentionally walk Kuea Angilau for the third time in the ball game to lead off the frame. That decision didn't work out for the Tigers as Gomez smashed her two-run shot to give Porterville a lead it wouldn't give up.
Porterville reliever Alexis Rodriguez pitched her way out of jams in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings to help PC escape with the hard-fought win. She tossed the final 4 2/3 innings, giving up just two hits while keeping Reedley off the board.
Gomez went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI to lead the Pirates at the plate.
In the opener, Reedley went out in front early by putting up four runs in the bottom of the first and three more in the second to take a commanding 7-1 lead.
Gomez went yard in the third inning, hitting a two-run home run to cut the Reedley lead to 7-3. Kassy Cervantes added a RBI single to drive in Angilau in the seventh for PC's final run.
Reedley didn't want anything to do with Angilau. She was intentionally walked three times in the opener as well, giving her six free passes on the day. Angilau went on to score three runs over the two games.
Gomez went a combined 3-for-7 with a pair of home runs and 5 RBI in the doubleheader.
Rodriguez took the loss in Game 1, allowing five runs and five hits in one inning.
Porterville moved to 9-6 in CVC play and is 21-12 overall. The Pirates return to conference play on Thursday (Ap. 11) when they host Merced College in a 2 p.m. game.