For just the third time all season, a Cerritos College starting pitcher lasted at least six innings in a game. On Saturday, freshman Carlos Hernandez (Pioneer HS) pitched the first six innings and allowed just one run (unearned), as the Falcon baseball team defeated ECC Compton Center, 9-1 at Kincaid Field. With the win, Cerritos (9-6, 2-1) captures the three-game series against the Tartars and will now start a three-game set against Mt. San Antonio College. The Falcons will host the Mounties at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Cerritos took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, thanks in part to a Compton fielding error. After sophomore outfielder Fermin Beza (California HS/William Jessup University) led off with a walk, freshman second baseman Derrick Edwards (Mary Star of the Sea HS) and sophomore first baseman Mike Heenan (JSerra HS) followed with singles to load the bases. Freshman designated hitter Emiliano Estrada (Long Beach Poly HS) hit a two-hopper that Compton second baseman Syam Lafi mishandled, which allowed two runs to score. After a fielder's choice kept the bases loaded, sophomore outfield Mark Pena (Bell Gardens HS) brought in the third run with a sacrifice fly.

That would be enough offense for Hernandez, who surrendered four hits in his best start of the season. He allowed the Tartars back-to-back singles to start the fourth inning and then walked Mario Jimenez with two outs to load the bases. A throwing error accounted for the lone Compton run. He was replaced by freshman Sean Kinnicutt (Warren HS) to start the seventh inning, and he pitched two innings, with sophomore Jerald Johnston (California HS) setting down the side in the ninth inning to end the game.

It was three more runs in the bottom of the fourth for the Falcons, with Beza driving in a pair with a triple, while Edwards followed with an RBI single for a 7-1 lead. Sophomore catcher Gary James (Sunny Hills HS) added a two-run single in the fifth inning to round out the scoring.

Heenan reached base five times on the day with three singles and two walks, while Beza went 2-for-4 with a pair of walks. Edwards was 2-for-5, while Pena extended his school record hitting streak to 27 games with a seventh inning single and also drew a pair of walks.

Photos by Daryl Peterson