In what would turn out to be their final game of the season, the Cerritos College softball team showed why they have been the most patient team at the plate in the state for the last five years. The Falcons (28-15), seeded #7 for the Southern California Super Regional, were eliminated by #6-seeded Antelope Valley (36-6), 8-3, but drew nine more walks and finish the season with 202 free passes. They will likely lead the state in walks for the fifth season in a row. The closest team still active in the post-season, El Camino College, has drawn 154 walks.
It was a four-run third inning by the Marauders that put Cerritos in a 5-0 deficit, with all the damage coming after there were two outs. Sophomore starting pitcher Kristen Voller (Norco HS) struck out the first two batters, but surrendered hits to four of the next five batters, which accounted for all of the damage, and forced her exit from the circle.
Through the first five innings, the Falcons were unable to generate any offense and were limited to just five walks, but had not collected a hit. That would change in the bottom of the sixth inning when sophomore outfielder Kimberly Olivas (Warren HS) led off with a single, but was thrown out at second base trying to stretch it into a double. Freshman catcher Briana Lopez (Norwalk HS) followed with a single of her own, but that would be all the offense in the stanza.
They didn't get on the board until the bottom of the seventh inning, thanks to four walks and two hits against three Antelope Valley pitchers. With three walks loading the bases, Olivas got the team on the board when she drew another free pass. Lopez added a run-scoring sacrifice fly, with freshman Carly Gutierrez (Santa Fe HS) adding an RBI singles. On the night, Gutierrez was 1-for-1 with an RBI and three walks.