Locked in a pitching duel through the first six innings against host Palomar College on Saturday, the Cerritos College baseball team was able to score five late-inning runs to post a 5-2 win. The win was the fifth in a row for the Falcons (12-2), who are off to their fastest start since the 1990 when they went 20-2 to begin the season. The team will return home to host Ventura College at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
Sophomore starting pitcher Gilbert Romero (Alhambra HS) was locked in a scoreless battle with the Comets' (8-7) Russell Grant through the first six innings. Palomar was able to get on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning when Connor McKenna led off with a home run. After allowing a one-out single, sophomore Edgar Velasquez (Montebello HS) came on in relief. With two outs and a runner on second base, Matthew Ornelia made it a 2-0 game with an RBI single.
The Falcons responded in the top of the eighth inning against new relief pitcher Ryan Semon, who came on for Grant to start the inning. Freshman first baseman Michael Gonzalez (St. Bernard HS) led off with a base hit, while sophomore outfielder Nick Penzetta (Kamehameha, HI HS) singled with one out. Freshman outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez (Santa Fe HS) advanced both runners, with sophomore third baseman Jorge Rodriguez (Bellflower HS) drawing a two-out walk to load the bases. With George Chapman now on the mound, Cerritos got on the board on a wild pitch, followed by a two-run double from sophomore shortstop Ramon Bramasco (Cathedral HS), which put the team on top, 3-2.
Velasaquez silenced the Comets in the bottom of the inning, with sophomore second baseman Jesus Mercado (St. John Bosco HS) and sophomore outfielder Rollie Nichols (Serra HS) hitting back-to-back solo home runs to lead off the top of the ninth inning to put the team in front, 5-2. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Velasquez retired the final three batters to earn the win.