Panthers' late rally falls short

The current group of six seniors on Porterville’s baseball squad helped pace the Panthers all the way to the Division III semis in 2008 as juniors, falling to eventual champions McLane.

So, naturally, a group that is one year older and one year wiser would hope to improve on last year’s run and aim for the title.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, it didn’t shake out that way Friday afternoon as they lost to Madera South, 7-6, in the second round of the postseason.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” Porterville assistant coach Chad Brown said. “This group of seniors worked so hard and put in so many hours to get where they’re at.”

The No. 4 Panthers were in a good spot as owners of a 14-9 record and home -field advantage after enjoying a bye in the opening round. They were about to host No. 5 Madera South, which, on paper, didn’t look so impressive with an 11-18 record and had lost four of its previous six.

“Before the game, I said, ‘If we don’t give up more than two runs, we win this game,’” Porterville shortstop Phillip Carganilla said.

It took just four Stallion batters to hit Carganilla’s maxim.

Madera first baseman Tommy Gutierrez drove a line drive single to left field to set up catcher Mike Hernandez’s two-run homer off of Porterville pitcher Joe Tuttle.

“That alone set the tempo for the next couple of innings,” Carganilla said. “We didn’t respond well and get back quick enough.”

Indeed, the Stallions steadily poured it on throughout the next four innings including a three-run fifth that gave them a commanding 7-0 lead.

“We dug a hole — there’s no question about that,” Brown said. “A seven-run hole, regardless of what level, is tough to bounce back from.”

Shortly after Tuttle, who finished with two strikeouts and allowed six hits in his final game at Porterville, was replaced by freshman pitcher Matt Watson, Madera rounded into the top of its lineup.

Hernandez led off with a single and Nicholas Palomino eventually brought his teammate home off a bunt. 

Justin Gallegos bunted again to load the bases for Garrett Alvarez, who walked, and Jonathan Chapa, who completed a sacrifice fly to add two more runs.

“They executed and you’ve gotta give them credit for that,” Brown said. “They squeezed off a couple of sacrifice bunts and did what they needed to. But we’ve been in that situation before and battled back.”

So it was no surprise that the Panthers fought like it was their last game, beginning at the bottom of the fifth inning.

Porterville left fielder Nate Brown walked to start off and Carganilla powered a single right past second base. Daniel Rueger followed with a bunt to load the bases.

Panthers catcher Kevin Hulse, who led all hitters by going 3-for-4 at the plate, rattled a double down the left baseline to score Brown and Carganilla.

First baseman Zach Watson and designated hitter Robert Burcham each got on base with an error, scoring Rueger and Hulse, respectively, to close the gap to 7-4.

“A couple guys got on, people started talking, we picked up the energy of the game and things started going our way,” Carganilla said.

Porterville kept fighting in the sixth behind some shifty base-running. Nick Shew, who went 2-for-3, singled and then stole two of his three stolen bases off a wild throw at first.

Carganilla added another highlight by hitting right to first baseman Gutierrez and still beat him to the base with a slide. The senior then attempted another steal, forcing Hernandez to overthrow at second and allow Shew a safe trip home.

Rueger next grounded out, but was rewarded with an RBI as Carganilla crossed the plate to make it 7-6.

“I think they showed some mental toughness,” Brown said of his Panthers. “They say hitting is contagious, I don’t know if that’s true, but sometimes guys need to see their teammates have some success for them to build confidence.”

Matt Watson, who also struck out two and allowed six hits, got some help from the Panther defense — which turned a double play in the seventh — to hold the Stallions scoreless the rest of the way.

But the Panthers’ momentum fizzled in their final comeback attempt with a groundout and a pair of strikeouts to end the nearly three-hour game.

“It’s disappointing,” said Shew, who plans to walk on for Div. II Chico State this fall. “We knew if we played hard, we’d beat them, but it didn’t happen today. We just beat ourselves.”