After spotting visiting Pasadena City College a 6-0 lead, the Cerritos College baseball team scored the final five runs, but came up short in their South Coast Conference game, 6-5 at Kincaid Field on Tuesday. The Falcons (8-13, 3-3) left runners in scoring position in five innings and left 10 runners on base on the day. The team will now travel to Chaffey College for a 2:00 p.m. conference game on Thursday.

The late comeback started in the bottom of the sixth inning. Freshman catcher Adam Rubio (Montebello HS) led off with a base hit, while sophomore second baseman Derrick Edwards (Mary Star of the Sea HS) drew a walk. The bases were loaded after freshman first baseman Jesus Mercado (St. John Bosco HS) singled. With one out, the Falcons scored their first run of the game when freshman outfielder Micah Hee (Kamehameha, HI HS) was hit by a pitch. A throwing error by Lancer (11-7, 3-3) second baseman Andres Kim on a ground ball by freshman designated hitter Christopher Gomez (South Torrance HS) accounted for two more runs in the inning.

Trailing 6-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, Cerritos put two more runs on the board. With one out, freshman outfielder Rolando Nichols (Serra HS) singled and scored on a triple by Rubio. A sacrifice fly by Edwards plated Rubio, making it a 6-5 game. The Falcons collected just two more hits the rest of the game.

They loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning, but hit into a double play to end the threat, while stranding Edwards at third base in the second inning after his leadoff double.

Sophomore starting pitcher Erick Velasquez (Bell Gardens HS/ECC Compton Center) took the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) in five innings, while freshman Edgar Velasquez (Montebello HS) was tagged for three runs in one inning of work.

As a team, Cerritos slapped out 13 hits, with Nichols posting three hits, while Rubio, Edwards and Mercado all had two hits on the day.

Photos by Daryl Peterson