Over the course of the season, the Cerritos College baseball team has won games in many different ways. On Tuesday in their South Coast Conference game against visiting Rio Hondo College, the Falcons pounded out 15 hits in a 14-1 win that extends their winning streak to nine games. It also improved the team's record to 10-0 at Kincaid Field this season. The two teams will meet on on Thursday at 2:00 p.m, in Whittier in the second of their two games against each other.
Cerritos (16-2, 3-0) scored all the runs they would need in the bottom of the third inning, as they put six runs on the board. After the run support, it was just business as usual for sophomore starting pitcher Vincent Fuentes (El Rancho HS), who tossed seven innings and allowed one run on three hits and struck out six batters. He allowed two of those hits in the first two innings and set down 13 of the next 15 batters, which included an inning-ending double play, as well as cutting down a runner trying to steal a base. The only real blemish was a two-out solo home run Fuentes surrendered to Pat Biggs in the seventh inning. Freshman Brian Kossler (Mayfair HS) continued his strong season in short relief by pitching the final two innings and retired six of the seven batters he faced.
In the third inning, sophomore outfielder Nick Penzetta (Kamehameha, HI HS) and freshman outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez (Santa Fe HS) led off with back-to-back walks. After an error allowed sophomore third baseman Jorge Rodriguez (Bellflower HS) to reach base on his sacrifice bunt, the Roadrunners (7-9, 1-2) pulled starting pitcher Andy Garcia. The Falcons welcomed relief pitcher Jake Gaudet with three straight hits. Sophomore shortstop Ramon Bramasco (Cathedral HS) got the scoring started with an RBI single, followed by a two-run double from freshman catcher Andre Alvarez (Walnut HS). After sophomore second baseman Jesus Mercado (St. John Bosco HS) singled, freshman first baseman Michael Gonzalez (St. Bernard HS) slapped an RBI single. Mercado scored the final run of the inning on a passed ball.
The offense continued in the fourth inning with Gonzalez driving in a pair with a single, which was preceded by RBI singles from Mercado and sophomore outfielder Rollie Nichols (Serra HS). With the bases loaded in the seventh inning, Bramasco brought home two runs with a double, while sophomore Micah Hee (Kamehameha, HI HS) drove in another run with an infield out. Nichols collected his third hit in a row with an RBI single to round out the scoring.
On the day. Mercado (3-for-3, BB, HBP) reached base five times, with Nichols collecting three hits and a pair of RBI. The quartet of Rodriguez (2-for-3, 3 runs), Bramasco (2-for-5, 3 runs, 3 RBI), Alvarez (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Gabriel Gonzalez (2-for-5, 3 RBI) all had multiple-hit games.