Softball: Falcons score early and often in win

File Photo: Monique Ramirez drove in a pair of runs, as the Falcons defeated El Camino, 11-1
File Photo: Monique Ramirez drove in a pair of runs, as the Falcons defeated El Camino, 11-1

The Cerritos College softball team scored 11 runs in the first three innings of their South Coast Conference game against visiting El Camino College and posted an 11-1 victory. The game, which was moved to Nancy Kelly Field after last Thursday's game was rained out, occurred because the Warrior field was not in good enough condition to be played. As a result, the March 25 game against ECC has been switched and will now be played in Torrance. The win by the Falcons improved their season record to 7-5 overall, while they are now 5-1 in SCC action. They will now host Los Angeles Harbor College at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

In the bottom of the first inning, Cerritos jumped on El Camino (9-7, 3-2) righy away, as freshman leadoff hitter Joanna Perruccio (Long Beach Wilson HS) walked and then advanced to second on a base hit by sophomore Ariana Mejia (Gahr HS). Perruccio then came home on a single from sophomore Haley Whitney (Warren HS). With two outs and a pair of runners on base, freshman Haley Petruccelli (Torrance HS) doubled off ECC pitcher Reina Trejo, who was her teammate in high school, which brought in both runners.

The Falcons added four more runs in each of the second and third innings. Just like Perruccio, sophomore Danah Vasquez (Santa Fe HS) led off with a walk and eventually scored on a base hit from sophomore Stephanie Olivas (Warren HS). Mejia, Whitney and sophomore Arianna Hernandez (Santa Fe HS) each followed by driving in single runs, and Cerritos held a commanding 7-0 lead.

Sophomore pitcher Kat Flores (El Rancho HS) tossed a three-hitter and allowed a single run in the top of the fourth inning after a leadoff double by Trejo, with the run coming home on a sacrifice fly by Miranda Aguilar. She improved her record on the year to 3-1.

Mejia and freshman Monique Ramirez (Torrance HS) highlighted the third inning with two-run doubles, with Mejia finishing the game 3-for-3 with three RBI. Whitney, Petruccelli and Ramirez all drove in two runs in the win.