Porterville takes first place in EYL
Porterville takes lead in EYL
Porterville High School’s bats woke up in the bottom of the sixth inning to turn a scoreless game into a 5-1 defeat of the defending East Yosemite League champions Tulare Western at home Tuesday afternoon.
Porterville High School’s bats woke up in the bottom of the sixth inning to turn a scoreless game into a 5-1 defeat of the defending East Yosemite League champions Tulare Western, taking sole possession of first place in the EYL with the win at home Tuesday.
Keeping the Panthers (13-4-1, 5-1 EYL) in the game from the start on the mound was sophomore pitcher Nick Munoz who went 6 2/3 innings before being relieved by Ricky Carranza. The innings went quick for Munoz who gave up just three hits and two walks while retiring four batters.
“Their guy kept us off balancing all day but that’s Noah Munoz game right there,” PHS head coach Mike Hill said. “For a sophomore kid to come out in a big game like this. And he only gave up [three] hits in the ball game. He gave up one early. There in the seventh we should’ve ended the game, [but] made an error at third.”
Offensively Porterville wasn’t able to string together hits until the bottom of the sixth when Carranza — who’s batting .500 on the season — got things started with a leadoff hit that the Mustangs’ shortstop couldn’t field cleanly. Derek Harris and John Herrera — the Panthers’ other two top hitters — loaded the bases with a hit and bunt, respectively, for Santiago Sanchez to bring in a run with a groundout to second base.
A fielders’ choice attempt at third base in the next at-bat allowed Matt Rangel to reach first safely and Jonthony Torres brought home Harris and Juan Valdivia who was pinch running for Herrera. With three runs against them — the most runs Western (911, 4-2 EYL) had allowed in an EYL game this season — and only one out, the Mustangs relieved starting pitcher Dax Korenwinder and brought in Levi Faucett.
But the change didn’t slow down the Panthers and Brandon Clingerman proceeded to hit an Rbi-single up the middle the next at-bat. Faucett and the Mustangs were able to get the outs they needed to end the inning but not before giving up two walks — including a bases-loaded Rbi-walk to Carranza.
At the plate, Carranza went 2-for-2 with a double, an RBI, two walks and a run scored to lead Porterville. Rangel also went 2-for-2 and scored a run.
“That was a great game,” Hill said. “Both teams. Pitching, pretty good defense until they kind of broke down in the sixth and we just had the one error here. When we do those things, we’re pretty good. Friday’s going to be a pretty big test. They’ve got a lefthander that’s very, very good. But we’ve got our best guy, Derrek Harris, going. I’m kind of excited about that game at Tulare Western.”
The Mustangs scored their lone run in the top of the seventh after an error by third baseman, Torres, with two outs allowed Western to get on base. Munoz loaded up the bases with his first walks of the game and a hit off Carranza allowed the Mustangs to get on board.
The Panthers travel to Tulare for another 4:30 p.m. game on Friday against the Mustangs.