Led by a season-high 12 hits, the Cerritos College baseball team posted a 7-4 win over Los Angeles Pierce College at Kincaid Field on Saturday afternoon. The win by the Falcons (2-2) was their second in as many games at home. The team will now play a three-game series with Golden West College, with the first taking place in Huntington Beach at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday.

Jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first enabled freshman starting pitcher Vincent Fuentes (El Rancho HS) to work with a lead. He maintained the Falcons lead until the fourth inning when he allowed a leadoff walk and a run-scoring double, which brought on sophomore Erick Velasquez (Bell Gardens HS/ECC Compton Center).

The game was tied, 3-3 until Cerritos scored three times with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Sophomore outfielder Kevin Sainz (Valley Christian HS) laced a two-out single up the middle and then stole his second base of the game. He moved to third base on a wild pitch and scored when Brahmas (0-5) second baseman Jorge Navarette could not make a clean throw to first base on a slow roller by freshman shortstop Ramon Bramasco (Cathedral HS).

Taking advantage of the error, freshman second baseman Christopher Gomez (South Torrance HS) singled, which set the table for freshman first baseman Jesus Mercado (St. John Bosco HS), who laced a two-run double. The Falcons added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning when freshman catcher Adam Rubio (Montebello HS) doubled home freshman third baseman Jorge Rodriguez (Bellflower HS), who hit a two-out triple.

Velasquez earned the win with three innings of work, as he allowed one unearned run on one hit. Freshman Joe Pacheco (Redlands East Valley HS) came on and tossed 2 1/3 solid innings, allowing one run and striking out three batters before freshman Jakob Johnston (California HS) picked up the save when he recorded the final two outs of the game.

Freshman designated hitter Dominic Bravo (Warren HS) went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Mercado drove in three runs on the day. Bramasco and Rodriguez both collected two hits, as eight different players recorded hits.

Photos by Daryl Peterson