Needing just two outs to secure a win, the Cerritos College baseball team allowed five ninth inning runs to drop an 8-7 South Coast Conference South Division game against host Los Angeles Harbor College on Saturday. The Falcons (13-25, 7-13) have just two games remaining in the season and will host East Los Angeles College at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday in their final home game of the season.

Leading 7-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, freshman relief pitcher Joe Pacheco (Redlands East Valley HS) recorded the first out of the inning. A pair of hit batters and an infield error loaded the bases for LA Harbor. The lead started to slip away when a pair of passed balls brought home the first two runs of the inning.

Sophmore Erick Velasquez (Bell Gardens/ECC Compton Center) came on in relief and allowed a run-scoring single before the next batter, Eddie Zavala, clubbed a game-winning two-run double.

Cerritos broke open a close 2-1 lead with four runs in the top of the sixth inning. After freshman shortstop Ramon Bramasco (Cathedral HS) led off the stanza with a single, sophomore second baseman Derrick Edwards (Mary Star of the Sea HS) clubbed his team-leading fourth home run of the season. The inning continued with freshman outfielder Rolando Nichols (Serra HS) getting hit by a pitch before freshman first baseman Jesus Mercado (St. John Bosco HS) singled to left field, with both runners advancing on an error. Freshman designated hitter Dominic Bravo (Warren HS)  was intentionally walked, which was followed by a two-run double from freshman catcher Christopher Gomez (South Torrance HS).

Edwards finished the game going 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Bramasco, Gomez and freshman outfielder Micah Hee (Kamehameha, HI HS) also had two hits. Freshman starting pitcher Gilbert Romero (Alhambra HS) tossed the first six innings and allowed two runs on eight hits.