An eight-run inning by host Los Angeles Harbor College on Tuesday was too much for the Cerritos College baseball team to overcome, as they dropped an 8-4 decision. The South Coast Conference loss, coupled by an ECC Compton College win, puts the two teams in a tie for second place with two games remaining. The Falcons (20-14, 12-7) will host the Seahawks (18-16, 8-11) at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday at Kincaid Field, while the Tartars continue their series against conference-leading Long Beach City College.

Sophomore starting pitcher Ryan Arambula (Bell Gardens HS) had allowed one hit heading into the third inning, but surrendered three hits and hit a batter before recording the first out of the inning. An RBI single kept the bases loaded before Andrew Baer cleared the bases with a three-run double, making it 5-0. After another base hit, Kamal Muhammad blasted a three-run home run. Arambula (6-5) did last six innings before coming out of the game.

The Falcons picked up a pair of runs in the fifth inning and then two more in the ninth inning. A single and two-base error put sophomore Nick Vasquez (El Rancho HS) on third base, while freshman shortstop Benny Arce (Santa Monica HS) drove him in with a single and advanced a base on another error. Freshman second baseman Mike Heenan (JSerra HS) added a run-scoring single.

In the ninth inning, Cerritos loaded the bases with a Heenan double, a single by freshman outfielder Mark Pena (Bell Gardens HS) and an error. Sophomore third baseman Victor Guadalupe (La Quinta HS) grounded back to the pitcher to drive in a run, with another ground out by freshman catcher Gary James (Sunny Hills HS) accounted for the other run.