In the first game of their three-game South Coast Conference series with Pasadena City College, the Cerritos College baseball team posted a 3-1 win. The Falcons (15-10, 7-3) will now take on the Lancers (8-17, 2-8) on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Field.

Taking advantage of a PCC error in the bottom of the first inning, Cerritos took an early 1-0 lead. Sophomore shortstop Daniel Lopez (Montebello HS) led off with a walk and when Lancer pitcher Isaac Holguin attempted to pick him off first base, the wild throw allowed Lopez to advance to third base. Sophomore first baseman Mike Heenan (JSerra HS) followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Lopez. They added a single run in the bottom of the third inning, with Lopez part of that run, as well. He led off with a single and was sacrificed to second base by Heenan. After a ground out moved him to third base, Lopez came home on an infield hit by freshman second baseman Derrick Edwards (Mary Star of the Sea HS).

The two runs would be enough for freshman starting pitcher Sean Kinnicutt (Warren HS), who tossed seven shutout innings. He received a pair of inning ending double play balls to help him out of situations in the first and fifth innings. In the sixth inning, Kinnicutt (4-1) walked Joe Quire to lead off the inning, while Edwards committed an error to put runners at first and second base. With one out, Jeremy Conant singled to load the bases, but Kinnicutt was able to get Brandon Benson to fly out and Paul Christian to pop out in foul territory to end the inning.

The Falcons added a third run in the fourth inning when sophomore outfielder Fermin Beza (California HS/William Jessup University) led off with a double down the left field line. Sophomore catcher Gary James (Sunny Hills HS) moved him to third base when he beat out an infield bunt. Sophomore outfielder Kenton McDonald (Long Beach Poly HS) brought Beza home with a sacrifice fly.

Sophomore closer Jerald Johnston (California HS) was called on for a two-inning save and allowed a walk in the eighth inning. But in the ninth inning, an infield single and throwing error by freshman third baseman Jonathan Avila (Carson HS) put a runner at second base. After a ground out was recorded for the second out, Johnson (four saves) walked another batter and uncorked a wild pitch, which ended the shutout. He got the final out on a ground out.

Photos by Daryl Peterson