Getting his first start of the season, freshman Nathaniel Davalos (Santa Fe HS) tossed six innings to earn the win, as the Cerritos College baseball team defeated host East Los Angeles College, 3-2 on Thursday. The win by the Falcons (9-4) improved their South Coast Conference record to 2-0, and they will look for the sweep of the Huskies at 1:00 p.m. on Friday at Kincaid Field. The game was originally scheduled for noon on Saturday, but the impending rain necessitated the game being moved up one day. The one-run win by Cerritos was their sixth of the season.

Davalos (2-0) limited East Los Angeles to just one run on three hits in his six innings, while striking out three batters. He was removed in favor of sophomore Nicholas Martinez (La Serna HS), who tossed a pair of shutout innings for the hold, while sophomore Andy Hurtado (Downey HS/Rio Hondo College) collected his fourth save of the season.

The Huskies did threaten to escape with a win, as they pushed across a run in the bottom of the ninth inning and left runners on second and third base. Hurtado struck out Noah Nieto to end the game and earn the save.

Trailing 1-0 heading into the top of the fourth inning, sophomore shortstop Alex Bueno (Centennial, NV HS) led off with a double and advanced to third base on a fly out. Sophomore designated hitter Richard Castro (Bishop Amat HS/Cal State San Bernardino) drove in Bueno with a single to tie the game. On the play, Castro tried to stretch his hit into a double, but was thrown out.

In the fifth inning, sophomore outfielder Shea Estrin (West HS) led off with a walk, stole second base and advanced to third on a failed pickoff error. Cerritos took the lead without the benefit of a hit, as Estrin scored on a balk. Sophomore catcher Owen Beebe (Long Beach Millikan HS/Golden West College) followed with his second of three hits on the day and advanced to second base on an infield hit by sophomore outfielder Buck Anderson (Lakewood HS/Cal State Bakersfield). The bases were then loaded after freshman second baseman Andres Vega (Mary Star of the Sea HS) was safe on an infield single. 

Just like their first run of the inning, the Falcons scored without a hit, as a wild pitch advanced all of the runners, with Beebe scoring. An intentional walk to Castro loaded the bases once again, but the Falcons were unable to add to their lead.