The Cerritos College baseball team opened up a 4-0 lead over visiting Ventura College on Thursday afternoon and held on for a 6-4 non-conference win. The Falcons (3-1) withstood a rally by the Pirates (0-4) and responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning after a three-run top of the inning put the score at 4-3. On Saturday, Cerritos will host Santa Ana College at noon.

Sophomore starting pitcher Kyle Carpenter (Mayfair HS) was dealing with a blister on his finger, which affected his accuracy. He was one out away of earning the win, but was taken out with two outs in the fourth inning after he walked Ryan Coker to put runners on first and second base after the Pirates had already scored three runs. Sophomore George Mendoza (Bell Gardens HS) needed just one pitch to record the final out of the inning and earned the win with 3 1/3 innings of relief.

The Falcons took their 4-0 lead after the first three innings off starting pitcher Colton Follett (0-2). Freshman outfielder Jesse Perdomo (California HS) had three hits on the day and got the first inning started with a single. He advanced to second base on a failed pickoff throw and eventually came home on an infield out by freshman catcher Gary James (Sunny Hills HS). Carpenter helped his cause in the second inning by driving in sophomore outfielder Shane Preston (Deer Creek, OK HS), while a Ventura error and an RBI fielder's choice by freshman outfielder Mark Pena (Bell Gardens HS) accounted for two more runs in the fourth inning.

After the Pirates scored their three runs in the top of the fifth inning, sophomore shortstop Daniel Lopez (Montebello HS) opened the bottom of the inning with a walk. He scored on a double by Preston, with Carpenter driving in the sixth run of the game with a single.

In addition to Perdomo's three hits and a walk, sophomore third baseman Victor Guadalupe (La Quinta HS) added a pair of hits, while eight of the nine starters reached base at least once. Freshman Jerald Johnston (California HS) pitched the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.

Photos by Daryl Peterson