The Cerritos College baseball team collected a season-high 12 runs on 17 hits, as they defeated visiting Victor Valley College, 12-2 at Kincaid Field on Saturday. Playing their second of five straight home games, the Falcons (3-1) will now host Mt. San Jacinto College at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday. They opened the season with a 12-6 win over the Eagles last Saturday on the road.

The runs started in the third inning when freshman designated hitter Kevin Sainz (Valley Christian HS) led off with a double. Freshman third baseman Jonathan Avila (Carson HS) laid down a bunt to advance Sainz, but Rams third baseman Frankie Sarabia dropped the toss from pitcher Shawn Porton, who tried to cut Sainz down at third base. A wild pitch scored Sainz before sophomore outfielder Kenton McDonald (Long Beach Poly HS) blooped a double that only allowed Avila to advance to third base. A sacrifice fly by sophomore outfielder Fermin Beza (California HS/William Jessup University) drove in the second run, with sophomore catcher Gary James (Sunny Hills HS) bringing in the third with a double.

It became a 6-1 lead in the fifth inning, as Pena singled, stole second base and scored on a base hit by McDonald. James added a base hit and when Sarabia mishandled a ground ball by sophomore shortstop Daniel Lopez (Montebello HS), another run scored. The third run also came on an error on a ball hit by freshman second baseman Derrick Edwards (Mary Star of the Sea HS).

Sophomore starting pitcher Adrian Ramirez (Santiago HS) retired nine of the first 12 batters he faced, but came out in the fourth inning when he hit a batter and then saw the runner score after a passed ball and base hit. Ramirez lasted 3 2/3 innings, with freshman Sean Kinnicutt (Warren HS) coming on in relief. He tossed 3 1/3 innings to earn the win.

Pena extended his hitting streak to 16 games (dating back to last season) by finished the game going 4-for-6 at the plate with three runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base, while both McDonald (3-for-6, three runs, three RBI) and James (3-for-5, RBI) all had big games at the plate for the Falcons. Lopez and sophomore first baseman Mike Heenan (JSerra HS) each added a pair of hits.

Photos by Daryl Peterson