Needing just one win to advance to the Southern California Super Regional, the Cerritos College baseball team saw their season come to an end with a pair of losses to Los Angeles Pierce College on Saturday. The Falcons (25-14), seeded #5 for the playoffs, dropped 3-1 and 3-2 decisions to the #12-seeded Brahmas, who won the series two games to one. With multiple opportunities to score in each of the games, Cerritos went on to leave five runners in scoring position in the first game and followed that with eight more runners in scoring position in the second game.

Los Angeles Pierce 3, Cerritos 1: The Falcons took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, and didn't know it would take 12 more innings to score another run. Sophomore third baseman Hayden Stevens (Katella HS) led off with a walk and was advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, freshman second baseman Victor Guadalupe (La Quinta HS) laced a single to left field that brought Stevens in to score.

Freshman pitcher Ryan Arambula (Bell Gardens HS), making his second start of the season, had just one bad inning in his 6 1/3 innings of work. In the third, Joe Moran and Quinn Conley each singled, which set the table for Dylan Tashjian, who drove both in with a base hit to right field. Arambula (0-1) allowed eight hits and posted four strikeouts, which included several big outs to end scoring threats. LA Pierce scored their third run in the seventh inning when sophomore catcher Chris Carrillo (St. Paul HS/San Jose State University) attempted to cut down Conley on a stolen base attempt. His throw went into right field, where sophomore Johnny Martinez (Katella HS) over ran the ball, which allowed Conley to score. Carrillo had cut down the previous three runners who tried to steal a base.

Cerritos was limited to just three hits against Harsa Aditya (7-4) and closer Daniel Barraza, who got an inning-ending double play in the seventh inning. He retired six of the next seven batters to earn the save.

Los Angeles Pierce 3, Cerritos 2: Through the first five innings, the Falcons trailed 2-0, partly because of a bases loaded double play to end the fourth inning and an infield out to end the fifth inning with runners on second and third. But in the sixth inning, sophomore designated hitter Jared Robinson (Bishop Amat HS) clubbed a one-out solo home run to end the team's scoring drought. Guadalupe, who would play a huge role in the Brahmas scoring their game-winning run, followed with a double to keep the inning alive. Barraza, who started the second game of the day, was removed in favor or Brandon Ortega, who allowed a two-out, run-scoring single to sophomore first baseman Jose Romero (Whittier HS), which tied the game at 2-2.

In the seventh inning, sophomore starting pitcher Dylan Algra (Valley Christian HS) retired the first two batters, but then walked Joe Moran. It appeared as though Algra had a called third strike, but the ball was called inside. After the walk, Conley was ruled to have grounded out to Romero at first base to end the inning. But after a long discussion between the umpires, the play was ruled a foul ball. The next pitch was a ground ball to Guadalupe, who let the ball roll through his legs, allowing Moran to score what turned out to be the winning run.

The Falcons did get a two-out triple from Martinez in the seventh inning, but was stranded, while runners at first and second base with one out were stranded in the eighth inning. It was the same scenario in the ninth inning, as Carrillo drew a one-out walk. Martinez reached base on an infield hit, but that was where the offense would stall. Freshman outfielder Kyle Carpenter (Mayfair HS) struck out, with Robinson flying out to end the game and the season.

Photos by Daryl Peterson