Cougars hammer Porterville 14-3 in series opener

Photo by Taft Midway Driller/@midwaydriller
Photo by Taft Midway Driller/@midwaydriller

TAFT – Jackson Berry and Sebastian Cabeza smashed home runs as part of a huge game offensively for Taft College to help lead the Cougars to a 14-3 Central Valley Conference victory over visiting Porterville College on Tuesday.

The 14 runs scored by TC on Tuesday marked a new season-high. The Cougars totaled 13 hits in the contest and set the tone early by scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Cabeza hit a solo home run in the second while Berry's smash in the sixth drove in three runs. Berry and Owen Hayes totaled 3 RBI each, Tyler Vanneste, Cabeza, and Jesus Cruz had 2 RBI while Izzy Halton scored a pair of runs and had 3 hits.

Kaleb Hay was solid in the start to earn the win for Taft. He went five innings, allowing just 2 hits and no runs with 3 strikeouts. Jacob Canuel, Casey Henderson, and Chad Berry all tossed scoreless innings of relief.

With the win, Taft improved to 9-16 overall and 4-8 in Central Valley Conference play. The three-game conference series continues on Thursday (Mar. 30) at 2 p.m. in Porterville with the finale back at Taft on Saturday (Apr. 1) at 1 p.m.