After scraping their way back to tie the game, 2-2 against host Santa Barbara City College on Saturday, the Cerritos College baseball team surrendered a ninth inning run for a 3-2 loss. The Falcons (0-1) will play their home opener on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. against Citrus College. Prior to the game, the college will hold a plaque dedication ceremony in honor of coaching legend Wally Kincaid.

Trailing 2-0, Cerritos picked up single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to draw even against the Vaqueros. But in the ninth inning, a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases for the game-winning sacrifice fly. Freshman Jakob Johnston (California HS) came on in relief of sophomore Erick Velasquez (Bell Gardens HS/ECC Compton Center), who had tossed 3 2/3 innings of one-hit baseball. Johnston allowed consecutive singles before being taken out in favor of freshman Micah Hee (Kamehameha, HI HS). A wild pitch advanced the runners before a walk loaded the bases prior to the sacrifice fly.

In the sixth inning, sophomore outfielder Kevin Sainz (Valley Christian HS) led off with a single and stole second base. He advanced to third base on a ground out and came home on an error on a ground ball by freshman third baseman Jorge Rodriguez (Bellflower HS).

The Falcons tied the game in the next stanza when freshman designated hitter Rolando Nichols (Serra HS) drew a one-out walk and moved to third base on a single by freshman catcher Adam Rubio (Montebello HS). Freshman Dominic Bravo (Warren HS) came on to pinch-hit and drove home Nichols with single through the left side. Cerritos had a chance to take their first lead of the game when they put runners on second and third base with two outs. However, Sainz struck out to end the inning.

On the day, Cerritos left nine runners on base with five of them in scoring position.