Even though they fell behind, 5-2 against Mt. San Antonio College on Thursday, the Cerritos College baseball team fought back to score a 6-5, 11-inning South Coast Conference victory at Kincaid Field. The winning run, scored on an error, improved the Falcons record to 6-8 overall and 1-1 in conference play with one game left against the Mounties in their three-game series. The two teams will meet up at Mt. SAC at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

In the bottom of the 11th inning, sophomore second baseman Tyler Acevedo (Sunny Hills HS/Irvine Valley College) led off with a walk and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by freshman outfielder Joseph Rivera (Savanna HS). After freshman outfielder Johnny Martinez (Katella HS) drew a walk, Mountie second baseman Tyler Grijalva looked to turn a double play on a ground ball by freshman Michael Esparza (California HS), but threw the ball away, allowing Acevedo to score with the winning run.

Sophomore relief pitcher Sebastian Frutos (Bellflower HS) earned his third win of the year by tossing 6 1/3 innings and allowed one run on three hits while striking out five batters. Aside from allowing an RBI triple by Steven Mancilla in the sixth inning, Frutos (3-0) held the Mounties in check.

Cerritos got back in the game with a three-run sixth inning after Mt. SAC scored five unanswered runs to take a 5-2 lead. Freshman outfielder Jose Ayala (Maywood Academy HS) singled home a pair of runs after freshman third baseman Hayden Stevens (Katella HS) and freshman designated hitter Jared Robinson (Bishop Amat HS) both reached base. Rivera tied the game with a base hit.

Robinson (3-for-5), Stevens (2-for-4, two runs), Ayala (2-for-5, two RBI) and Rivera (2-for-4) led the way for the Falcons.

Photo by Daryl Peterson