Holding a 5-1 lead heading into the top of the eighth inning, the Cerritos College baseball team saw visiting Compton College score five times and post a 6-5 win. The Falcons (10-26, 6-15) will start their final three-game series of the season when they host Long Beach City College at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow.

Cerritos opened a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when sophomore shortstop Julian Francois (Serra HS) led off with a base hit and raced around the bases to score on a double from sophomore second baseman Andy Vega (Mary Star of the Sea HS). After an infield out advanced Vega, he came home on another infield out from freshman first baseman Ryan Skjonsby (Long Beach Poly HS).

Freshman starting pitcher Calix Armijo (Mary Star of the Sea HS) allowed an unearned run in the top of the second inning, but Cerritos came back and scored three times in the bottom of the third inning for a 5-1 advantage. Francois got the inning started with a leadoff single and on a failed pickoff attempt, advanced to third base. With one out, sophomore outfielder Dean Ormonde (Long Beach Millikan HS) singled home Francois. Both Skjonsby annd freshman outfielder Nico Briones (Long Beach Millikan HS) were hit by pitches to load the bases, which was followed by sophomore third baseman Carlos Vega (Mary Star of the Sea HS/Los Angeles Harbor College) reaching on an infield error, which brought in a run. Sophomore outfielder Jason Givens (Santa Fe HS) brought home the third run of the inning when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Armijo finished his day going six innings and allowed one run (unearned) and gave up two hits. Sophomore relief pitcher Boom Ward (Gahr HS) had a solid seventh inning, but lost his touch in the eighth inning after allowing a pair of singles, followed by a hit batter and walk. Sophomore Carter Stoddard (Sunny Hills HS) came on and struck out the first batter he faced, by then surrendered a run-scoring single before pinch-hitter Zaid Humphrey put Compton in the lead when he hit a grand slam.

The Falcons had a runner on second base in the bottom of the ninth, but was stranded at the end of the game.

Andy Vega finished the game going 3-for-5, while Francois was 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored.

Photos by Daryl Peterson