In has last three starts, sophomore Andrew Arguello (La Serna HS/Orange Coast College) has limited opponents to just four runs in 23 innings, which includes a complete game performance on Saturday. The Cerritos College baseball team posted a 6-2 South Coast Conference win over visiting Pasadena City College, as Arguello allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits. He has also cut more than half off his ERA over the course of those starts. The win improves the Falcons record to 12-8 overall, while they are 5-4 in conference play. The team will start a three-game series with Long Beach City College starting on Monday at 2:30 p.m. at Kincaid Field. The game was moved up a day due to the incoming rainstorm heading toward Southern California.

While Arguello was keeping the Lancers (10-11, 4-5) off balance, his catcher, Daniel Mariscal, Jr. (Long Beach Poly HS) was providing the offense. Making his second start of the season, Mariscal (pictured, left) went 2-for-3 with a sacrifice, which included a bases clearing double in the third inning to give the Falcons a 4-0 lead. Sophomore first baseman Nicholas Martinez (La Serna HS) tripled inside the right field line with one out in the third inning and scored on a fielding error by Lancer shortstop Jacob Ogle. On the play, sophomore second baseman Alex Bueno (Centennial, NV HS) hit a hard two-hopper that forced the base umpire to jump out of the way. Ogle mishandled the ball, which allowed the first run of the inning to score.

Singles by sophomore designated hitter Richard Castro (Bishop Amat HS/Cal State San Bernardino) and freshman third baseman Alex Figueroa (St. John Bosco HS) loaded the bases for Mariscal, who laced the first offering from Cody Crowder (3-2) into left-center field, which cleared the bases. In his two starts, Mariscal has gone 6-for-7 with five RBI and three runs scored.

Pasadena City did close the score to 4-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning, thanks in part to a Falcon error. But after scoring the two runs, Arguello retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced for his second straight complete game.

Cerritos added to their lead with a pair of runs in the eighth inning without the benifit of a hit. Figueroa led off by reaching base on an Ogle throwing error. After moving to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Mariscal, freshman outfielder Camden Angell (Goodpasture Christian, TN HS) drew a walk. A wild pitch by relief pitcher Max Masucci advanced the runners, with Figueroa coming home on another wild pitch. The second run of the inning came when Ogle committed his third error of the game, which plated Angell.

All six of the Falcons runs on the day were unearned.

Photos by Daryl Peterson