Continuing their annual trip to Santa Maria on Thursday, the Cerritos College baseball team was defeated by Merced College, 12-6. The Falcons (8-20) close out their trip on Friday with a 2:30 p.m. game at Allan Hancock College.

Falling behind early against the Blue Devils (19-12), Cerritos looked to slowly work their way back into the game. They got as close as 8-4 through six innings, but allowed the next four runs of the game and could not come back.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, singles by pinch-hitter Scott Mitchell (Brea Olinda HS) and sophomore second baseman Andy Vega (Mary Star of the Sea HS) put a pair of runners on base. A single from freshman designated hitter Ryan Skjonsby (Long Beach Poly HS) loaded the bases for freshman outfielder Anthony Godfrey (Long Beach Millikan HS). His base hit drove in the first run, while an error on the play allowed a second runner to score. The inning ended with the bases loaded and the team down, 7-2.

They picked up two more runs in the sixth inning on RBI base hits from freshman Isaac Vega (Mary Star of the Sea HS) and freshman outfielder Miles Hughes (Carson HS). Once again, the team left a pair of runners on scoring position. Isaac Vega drove in his second run of the game in the eighth inning, while freshman catcher Conner Sullivan (Palos Verdes HS) collected an RBI single.

On the day, Godfrey went 3-for-5, while freshman third baseman Cruz Mata (Palos Verdes HS) came on in the fourth inning and was 3-for-3 at the plate. Isaac Vega, Sullivan and Mitchell each finished with a pair of hits, as Cerritos finished with 17 hits.