Sophomore first baseman Mike Santos (Servite HS) clubbed three doubles and drove in six runs to help lead the Cerritos College baseball team to a 16-2 South Coast Conference win over visiting Los Angeles Harbor College on Thursday. The win was the fourth in a row for the Falcons (13-4, 4-1), who have recorded a pair of 16-2 wins in that time period. They look to finish the series sweep over the Seahawks (9-8, 2-4) at noon on Saturday in Wilmington.

As for Santos, his six RBI were the most by a Falcon since Alex Bueno drove in six runs against Mt. San Jacinto College on January 28, 2020, while his three two-baggers were the most since Travis McInerney had three against Long Beach City on April 9, 2019.

The Falcons jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the third inning on the strength of just four hits. The team saw three players hit by pitches, with all of them coming around to score. Santos led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch, while freshman second baseman Dylan Immel (El Segundo HS) reached on an infield single with one out. Sophomore infielder Anthony Bassett (Colegio Bautista de Managua, Nicaragua/Los Angeles Harbor College), facing his old team, doubled in both runners and advanced to third base on the throw to the plate. Freshman outfielder Diego Orozco (Long Beach Wilson HS) followed with an RBI single, while both sophomore outfielder Nico Briones (Long Beach Millikan HS) and sophomore shortstop DJ Massey (Gahr HS/Central Arizona College) were both hit by pitches. Massey had to leave the game after the pitch cut his lip open.

Freshman catcher Alonso Reyes (Culver City HS) then cleared the bases with a double to round out the scoring in the inning.

Freshman starting pitcher Myles Johnson (Katella HS) retired the first six batters of the game, but his leadoff walk came around to score in the third inning. After an RBI single from Dylan Newmeyer, Johnson (4-2) finished with seven strong innings, as he allowed one run on four hits and struck out six batters.

The runs kept coming in bunches for Cerritos, as they scored five more times in the fifth inning. Freshman outfielder Isaiah Rios (St. John Bosco HS) led off with a walk, while a single from Bassett and walk to Orozco loaded the bases with one out. Briones drove in the first run with a walk, with freshman catcher Ryan Reyes (Los Alamitos HS) plating another run with a walk. Reyes brought home a run with a sacrifice fly, while Santos clubbed his second double of the game to bring home two more runs. He capped off his day with two-run doubles in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings.

Santos finished the day going 3-for-5 with six RBI, with Alonso Reyes driving in four runs. Bassett (3-for-4, 2 RBI, walk) and Orozco (2-for-4, RBI, two runs, walk) also had good days at the plate.

Photos by Daryl Peterson