In their final game before the start of South Coast Conference play, the Cerritos College baseball team saw yet another lead slip away, as they lost, 10-5 to host Santa Ana College on Tuesday. The Falcons (1-9), who will travel to Chaffey College on Thursday for a 2:00 p.m. game in their conference opener, held a brief 4-2 lead before watching the Dons (10-4) score the eight runs over the next three innings to pull away for the win.

Sophomore outfielder Cody Ahrens (Mayfair HS/Hope International University) got the team on the board in the top of the second inning with a leadoff home run, while he doubled home sophomore catcher Andre Alvarez (Walnut HS) in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2. Sophomore third baseman Trevor McInerney (Cerritos HS/El Camino College) followed with a two-run home run to put the Falcons on top, 4-2. The inning stayed alive when sophomore first baseman Roberto Salazar, Jr. (Fullerton HS) reached on an infield single, with sophomore shortstop Aaron Paek (Sunny Hills HS/Hope International University) collecting a single. The inning came to a close when freshman outfielder Shea Estrin (West HS) struck out.

The pitching staff saw seven come to the mound, with four of them seeing action over the course of the three innings that Santa Ana scored their eight unanswered runs. Freshman Leonard Salas (California HS) got the start and allowed one run in the only inning in which he appeared, while striking out three. 

McInerney (2-for-4, three RBI) added a solo home run in the ninth inning, but it wasn't enough to bring the team back. Ahrens also added a pair of hits and two RBI, while the Falcons finished with nine hits on the day.