The Cerritos College baseball team waited 20 games to hit their first home run of the season. The two-run blast by sophomore outfielder Jared Robinson (Bishop Amat HS) jump-started a five-run eighth inning, which led the Falcons to a 6-5 South Coast Conference win over Los Angeles Harbor College on Tuesday at Kincaid Field. The two teams will meet up at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Trailing 4-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, sophomore first baseman Jose Romero (Whittier HS) opened the stanza getting hit by a Javier Alvarez (4-2) pitch. That opened the door for Robinson to launch an 0-1 pitch over the left field fence. The Falcons were then able to load the bases by way of a fielder's choice, along with a walk to freshman designated hitter Shane Preston (Deer Creek, OK HS) before sophomore pinch-hitter Joseph Aguirre (Kennedy HS) was hit by the first pitch he faced.

Up stepped freshman pinch-hitter Victor Guadalupe (La Quinta HS), who cleared the bases when he laced a double into left-center field. The five-run outburst gave sophomore relief pitcher Jonathan Grana (Downey HS) a 6-4 advantage and needing only three outs.

After pinch-hitter Richard Samudio led off with a single for LA Harbor (10-9, 2-5) and was advanced to second base on a ground out, freshman Joe Fernandez (La Habra HS) came in. He recorded the second out of the inning, but then hit Kyle Ulanday and walked Jordan Espino to load the bases. In came sophomore Elpidio Martin (Lynwood HS), who surrendered a run-scoring infield single to Anthony Canjura before Danny Taylor fouled out to end the game. It was the third save of the year for Martin.

Freshman starting pitcher Kyle Carpenter (Mayfair HS) lasted one batter into the fifth inning before being removed in favor of Grana (1-0), who pitched the next 3 1/3 innings to earn the win. Carpenter allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits.

Photos by Daryl Peterson