Locked in a 1-1 battle through the first eight innings, an error on a failed pickoff attempts opened the door for visiting Mt. San Antonio College to score twice in a 3-1 South Coast Conference decision over the Cerritos College baseball team. The Falcons (3-13, 2-4), who had won two games in a row, will travel to Rio Hondo College on Thursday for a 2:30 p.m. conference game.

Freshman starting pitcher Nicholas Martinez (La Serna HS) tossed the first eight innings and allowed one run (unearned) on just four hits, while striking out seven Mountie batters. Freshman Vincent Martin (Chandler, AZ HS) started the ninth inning and gave up an infield single to Caleb Ellis. Looking to keep Ellis close to the bag, Martin turned to first base to throw back to the bag, but his toss went over the head of sophomore first baseman Roberto Salazar, Jr. (Fullerton HS), with Ellis advancing to third base. Martin was removed for freshman Anthony Gonzalez, Jr. (Norwalk HS), who allowed an RBI double to Tyus Santa Anna and then a two-run, run-scoring double to Jacob Dominguez.

A pair of third inning errors allowed the Mounties to score their first run.

Trailing 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, sophomore third baseman Trevor McInerney (Cerritos HS/El Camino College) led off with a double to left field, and after getting sacrificed to third base by freshman second baseman Alejandro Bueno (Centennial, NV HS), came home on a single from freshman outfielder Shea Estrin (West HS).

Cerritos had several chances to get more runs on the board, but left the bases loaded in the third inning. A pair of walks and a single by sophomore outfielder Michael Gonzalez (St. Bernard HS) loaded the bases with two outs, but Salazar struck out to end the threat. Martinez led off the seventh inning with a walk and moved to second base on an error, but the Falcons could not cash in against relief pitcher Steven Odorica, who retired all nine batters he faced.

Photos by Daryl Peterson