It took five starts, but Cerritos College sophomore pitcher Kyle Carpenter (Mayfair HS) won his first game of the season on Saturday. In six innings of work, Carpenter struck out 10 batters to help lead the Falcons (9-6, 3-0) to a 5-0 South Coast Conference win over host Pasadena City College to complete the three-game sweep. The team will now embark on a three-game set with Mt. san Antonio College, with the first game at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday in Walnut.

Carpenter (1-1) limited the Lancers (3-12, 0-3) to just three hits and did not allow a walk. Two of the hits by Pasadena City came in the first inning and got out of a bases loaded situation when he struck out Anthony Rabino for the third out. From the second inning until the sixth, he retired 16 of the next 18 batters to keep the Lancers at bay.

At the plate, the Falcons took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when freshman catcher Gary James (Sunny Hills HS) doubled to deep right field that drove home sophomore outfielder Brett Thompson (Corona del Mar HS/Saddleback College). With two outs, sophomore outfielder Nick Vasquez (El Rancho HS) brought home James with a suicide squeez bunt.

It was a 3-0 lead in the fifth inning when freshman shortstop Benny Arce (Santa Monica HS) walked, stole second base and came home on a base hit by sophomore third baseman Victor Guadalupe (La Quinta HS). Arce played a role in the team's final two runs, as he walked to lead off the eighth inning, moved to second base on a single by sophomore outfielder Mark Pena (Bell Gardens HS) and scored on a throwing error. Then, in the ninth inning, an infield single by Arce brought home James, who singled to lead off the inning and moved to second base when freshman Gavin Callender (La Serna HS) was hit by a pitch. On the play, Lancer shortstop Thomas Castro tried to cut down Callender at second base, but threw the ball into center field that allowed James to score.

After Carpenter left the game, sophomore George Mendoza (Bell Gardens HS) came on and pitched the final three innings to earn his second save of the season. Pena led the way by going 4-for-5 at the plate, while Arce added three walks and a base hit.