Riding the momentum of a six-run second inning, the Cerritos College baseball team was able to hold off visiting Santa Barbara City College for a 9-8 win at Kincaid Field on Thursday. The Falcons (5-8) won't get any time to rest, as they host Santa Ana College on Friday at 2:00 p.m. which will be their third game in as many days.

Leading 9-6 heading into the top of the ninth inning, Cerritos saw the Vaqueros (4-6) club a two-run home run off freshman Carlos Valle (Bell Gardens HS), who was in his fifth inning of relief. He was replaced by freshman Micah Hee (Kamehameha, HI HS), who came in from right field to close the game. He got a fly out on the first pitch and then struck out pinch-hitter Shane Hersch to record his first save of the season.

In the six-run second inning, the Falcons received consecutive singles from freshman outfielder Rolando Nichols (Serra HS) and freshman catcher Adam Rubio (Montebello HS). A sacrifice bunt by freshman outfielder Dominic Bravo (Warren HS) was thrown wild to first base, which allowed Nichols to score. Three straight run-scoring singles by freshman third baseman Jorge Rodriguez (Bellflower HS), freshman designated hitter Christopher Gomez (South Torrance HS) and Hee gave the team a 4-0 lead. Freshman shortstop Ramon Bramasco (Cathedral HS) drove in a pair with a single, which chased starting pitcher Connor Brewster. Bramasco also clubbed a solo home run in the fourth inning, his first of the season.

Cerritos starting pitcher Gilbert Romero (Alhambra HS) struck out three of the first six batters he faced in the game, but encountered control problems in the third inning. He allowed two walks and a single to load the bases with no outs. After Joseph Hamilton got Santa Barbara on the board with an infield single, Romero worked out of the inning without any further damage.

Romero was chased in a five-run fifth inning by Santa Barbara, where he allowed four singles and two hit batters. Valle came in and gave up an RBI single before a double play ended the stanza. In his four innings, Valle allowed two runs on four hits and struck out three.

The Falcons got two of the runs back in the bottom of the fifth inning when Rubio and Bravo led off with consecutive walks. A passed ball and wild pitch put Rubio on third base, where he scored on an infield out by Gomez. Freshman outfielder Nick Penzetta (Kamehameha, HI HS) brought home the ninth run of the game with a two-out RBI single.

Photos by Daryl Peterson