After taking a 3-2 lead over visiting West Los Angeles College on Saturday, the Cerritos College baseball team surrendered 10 runs over the next two innings and suffered a 12-7 loss. It was the last non-conference game before the start of South Coast Conference play, which gets underway next Tuesday at Los Angeles Harbor College.

The Falcons (3-6-1) pushed across a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 3-2 lead without the benefit of a hit. The game started with seven position players making their first starts of the season, and it was in the seventh inning when the regular players made an appearance. Freshman second baseman Bilal Ali (Long Beach Millikan HS) came on in the top of the inning and led off with a walk, stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Freshman outfielder Miles Velez (St. Paul HS) was also walked and after he stole second base, it set the table for freshman first baseman Dean Ormonde (Long Beach Millikan HS) to drive in the tying run on a sacrifice fly. Freshman outfielder Manny Fregoso (Gahr HS) was also walked and after a fielder's choice allowed Fregoso to advance to third base, he came home on a wild pitch.

Freshman starting pitcher Justin Almeda (Warren HS) tossed the first four innings and allowed one run (unearned) and one hit while striking out five batters. He was replaced by freshman Jael Leal (Gahr HS), who also did a solid job on the mound. Over his three innings, he gave up one run on three hits and posted four strikeouts, while working out of a pair of jams.

The Wildcats (2-6) touched up relief pitchers Matt Cabrera (Fullerton HS) and Joseph Cossette (Laguna Hills HS) for six runs in the top of the eighth inning. The Falcons did battle back for four runs to get to within 8-7 heading into the ninth inning. A pair of infield singles and a walk loaded the bases for freshman outfielder Angel Alvarez (Arvada, CO HS), who brought home the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly. After Ormonde drew a walk, freshman first baseman Sawyer Chesley (Laguna Beach HS) stepped up in his first plate appearance of the game and drove in a pair with a single. He looked to advance a base on the throw to third and when the throw was off line, it allowed Ormonde to score.

West LA added four more in the top of the ninth inning, the big blow being a three-run home run from Kai Hersberger.

Photos by Daryl Peterson