It took the Cerritos College softball team one time through the lineup before they were able to get their bats going against Riverside City College at Nancy Kelly Field on Saturday. But once they did, the Falcons (10-6) strung together enough hits to produce a 4-2 non-conference win over the Tigers (10-4). The team will play their next five games on the road with the first being a South Coast Conference crossover against East Los Angeles College at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Down 1-0 after a first inning solo home run from Terri Nava, Cerritos collected their first four hits of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore outfielder Briana Lopez (Norwalk HS) led off with the team's first hit of the game, but was cut down at second base on a fielder's choice by freshman shortstop Tena Spoolstra (Mayfair HS). After stealing second base, Tena Spoolstra advanced to third base on an infield single from sister Brianna Spoolstra (Mayfair HS). The Falcons tied the game when freshman first baseman Keira Bolinas (Torrance HS) singled in Tena Spoolstra. Looking to advance to third base on the play, Brianna Spoolstra was thrown out at the bag. Sophomore second baseman Rain Vega (La Mirada HS) followed with a double, but Bolinas was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

Freshman pitcher Sierra Gerdts (Montebello HS) rebounded from the early home run and retired 15 of the next 17 batters, with 10 of those outs coming in the air. She ended up pitching a five-hitter to earn the complete-game win. She battled out of a jam in the sixth inning when the Tigers scored their second run. With two outs and runners on second and third base, Gerdts got Breanna Ceballos to pop up for the final out of the inning.

The big inning for the Falcons was in the fifth inning, as they scored three times on five hits, while hitting the ball out of the infield just twice. Freshman third baseman Kayla Hernandez (Santa Fe HS) led off with a single up the middle, followed by a bloop single over shortstop Kailee Gilbert's head for a single by freshman outfielder Kayla Aros (Torrance HS). Prior to the Aros hit, freshman pinch-runner Melissa Corona (Gahr HS) advanced to second on a wild pitch, which gave Cerritos runners a first and third base. Freshman catcher Deja Sendejas (El Rancho HS) put the Falcons in front, 2-1 when she hit into a fielder's choice, which plated Corona.

Sophomore designated player Tatyana Peko (La Habra HS) then stepped up and pushed a bunt past Riverside pitcher Riley Peckels and third baseman Nava, who were both drawn in. The bases were loaded when Lopez singled on a ball that deflected off new pitcher Synphony Hall's glove, which loaded the bases. After the second out was recorded on a fielder's choice, Brianna Spoolstra drove in a pair with an infield single that was knocked down by Gilbert. Not stopping on the play, Lopez rounded third and came home and beat the throw to the plate.

Lopez and Brianna Spoolstra each collected a pair of hits, while Aros made a nice defensive play in the top of the seventh inning when she ran down a deep fly ball for the second out of the inning.