Taking advantage of solid pitching from sophomore Jared Robinson (Bishop Amat HS), coupled with four defensive miscues by Los Angeles Pierce College, the Cerritos College baseball team posted a 5-1 win in the first game of their CCCAA Southern California Regional Playoff game at Kincaid Field on Friday. The Falcons (25-12), seeded #5, lead the best-of-three series, 1-0 against the #12-seeded Brahmas (19-17-1). On Saturday at noon, Cerritos will look for the sweep and advance to the Super Regional the following weekend.

Robinson (10-4), who won his seventh straight start, shut out LA Pierce, who entered the post-season with the 10th highest batting average in the state, for the first eight innings. He struggled at times, allowing baserunners in each of the eight innings he pitched. But a pair of double play balls got him out of trouble in the third and sixth innings. After his middle infield turned two in the sixth, Robinson went on to walk Zach Freidman and then gave up a single to Casey Ryan. But Alex Sawelson flew out to deep left field to end that threat.

In the ninth inning, freshman relief pitcher Joe Fernandez (La Habra HS) came on and allowed a hit batter and two singles before leaving after facing just three batters. Sophomore closer Elpidio Martin (Lynwood HS) got a double play ball (which scored the lone run) before a ground out ended the game and earned him his ninth save of the year.

Offensively, the Falcons scored single runs in the third and fourth inning, thanks to a pair of LA Pierce errors. After a one-out single by Robinson, he stole second base and went to third when shortstop Austin Peters was unable to handle the throw. A bunt attempt by sophomore third baseman Hayden Stevens (Katella HS) was mishandled by second baseman Quinn Conley, which allowed Robinson to score. It was a 2-0 game after freshman second baseman Victor Guadalupe (La Quinta HS) led off with a walk. Sophomore outfielder Jose Ayala (Maywood Academy HS) laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Brahmas pitcher Michael Knopf (3-3) threw high to first base, allowing Ayala to reach base. After a bunt single by sophomore catcher Chris Carrillo (St. Paul HS/San Jose State University) loaded the bases, sophomore outfielder Johnny Martinez (Katella HS) drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

In the fourth inning, Stevens led off with a triple and scored on a double by freshman shortstop Daniel Lopez (Montebello HS). Ayala lined a shot to Peters, who tried to cut down Romero at second base. But he threw the ball away, allowing the run to score. The fifth run was a beautiful suicide squeeze bunt by Martinez that scored Ayala, who singled and stole second base.