Looking to lock down his third save of the season, freshman closer Jerald Johnston (California HS) encountered problems in the ninth inning on Thursday. He allowed three run to visiting Mt. San Jacinto College, who posted a 5-3 non-conference baseball win over Cerritos College at Kincaid Field. The two teams will meet up again on saturday at noon at Mt. San Jacinto.

Johnston (0-2) got Ben Moreno out on strikes to start the inning, but with so much movement on the ball, it got away from freshman catcher Gary James (Sunny Hills HS). After a sacrifice bunt, freshman shortstop Benny Arce (Santa Monica HS) mishandled a ground ball for an error. An RBI single by Johnny Valdez tied the game, and after Kash Mattson drew a walk, JT Brown singled to right field to drive in a pair of runs.

Cerritos (4-3) had taken a 3-2 lead after scoring twice in the bottom of the eighth inning. Sophomore first baseman Brett Thompson (Corona del Mar HS/Saddleback College) reached base on a passed ball after striking out. James, who reached base four times on the day, was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second base. With sophomore third baseman Victor Guadalupe (La Quinta HS) squaring up to move the runners over, the Eagles (2-7) infield started their shift to cover a throw at third base. But Guadalupe swung through the pitch and bounced a shopper right where Bryan Dezern vacated his shortstop position, allowing Thompson to score. A suicide squeeze drove by sophomore Shane Preston (Deer Creek, OK HS) drove in the second run of the inning.

Sophomore starting pitcher Kyle Carpenter (Mayfair HS) was cruising along through the first five innings and allowed just one hit. But he gave up four singles in the sixth inning, which brought home a run for Mt. San Jacinto and Carpenter's day came to a close after getting a double play to end the threat.

Photos by Daryl Peterson