Cerritos College sophomore starting pitcher Dylan Algra (Valley Christian HS) pitched eight strong innings to help lead the team to a 3-1 South Coast Conference win over El Camino College on Thursday. The Falcons (8-7, 1-1) scored single runs in the second, fifth and eighth innings to secure the win over the Warriors (9-6, 1-1) at Kincaid Field. The two teams will play the third game of their series at noon on Saturday at El Camino.

Algra (3-1) allowed one unearned run and struck out seven batters to pick up the win, with sophomore Jared Robinson (Bishop Amat HS) pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his first save of the year. He closed out the game striking out Ted Dilts looking.

Early on, El Camino threatened to take an early lead, as Kevin Lopez doubled to left field in the first inning and advanced to third base on a ground out to the right side of the field. But Algra struck out Dylan Hatch to end the inning. A lead-off single by Dilts in the second inning, followed by a ground out, put him in scoring position until Algra struck out Alex Turner and got Mason Landis to ground out.

The Falcons took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when sophomore third baseman Hayden Stevens (Katella HS) doubled and advanced to third base when center fielder Keyon Allen mishandled the ball. A base hit by freshman shortstop Daniel Lopez (Montebello HS) opened the scoring on the day. After El Camino tied the game with an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning, sophomore outfielder Jose Ayala (Maywood Academy HS) grounded a ball to third base, where Hatch saw his throw sail high, allowing Ayala to advance to second base. A base hit by sophomore catcher Chris Carrillo (St. Paul HS/San Jose State University) advanced Ayala to third base before freshman second baseman Justin Walsh (Katella HS) converted a bunt single to drive in the run.

In the sixth inning, Algra struck out Hatch with a runner on second base to end the inning, while he got Lopez to foul out in the eighth inning with Allen on second base for the third out.

Cerritos added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth off pitcher Ulices Moreno (4-1), as freshman outfielder Kyle Carpenter (Mayfair HS) led off the a single, followed by a sacrifice bunt from sophomore outfielder Johnny Martinez (Katella HS). After Robinson was intentionally walked, sophomore first baseman Jose Romero (Whittier HS) loaded the bases when he drew a walk. Steven then brought home Carpenter with a sacrifice fly.

Photos by Daryl Peterson