In what started out to be a pitcher's dual through the first three innings, the Cerritos College baseball team was able to put up big numbers in the latter part of the game and turned in an 11-2 South Coast Conference win over Mt. San Antonio College on Tuesday. Winners of nine in a row, the Falcons (18-4, 9-1) will travel to Walnut on Thursday for the second game of their series with the Mounties (13-7, 5-2).

Both schools sent their ace to the mound and the Falcons Derek Valdez (Los Alamitos HS), as well as Mt. SAC's Matthew Lorenzano did not disappoint through the first three innings. However, in the top of the fourth inning, the Mounties scored an unearned run, while Cerritos responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the stanza. The big hit in the inning was a two-out, two-run single from freshman outfielder Diego Orozco (Long Beach Wilson HS).

With the Falcons leading, 3-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Falcons blew things open with four runs coming on a two-out grand slam by sophomore first baseman Mike Santos (Servite HS). After the first two outs were recorded, Lorenzano hit sophomore shortstop DJ Massey (Gahr HS/Central Arizona College) on a 1-2 pitch to keep the inning alive. Freshman catcher Alonso Reyes (Culver City HS) followed by drawing a walk, which resulted in the end for Lorenzano. Relief pitcher Alejandro Morales lasted four pitches and walked sophomore designated hitter Marco Lopez (Narbonne HS/Vanguard University) to load the bases.

Santos stepped up against new pitcher Justin Cardenas and launched his second offering over the left-field fence for a grand slam. It was the second grand slam of the season for a Cerritos player, with Lopez hitting one against College of the Desert.

That was enough offense for Valdez (6-0), who tossed eight innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and struck out three batters.

In the next inning, Santos became the first Cerritos player to hit two home runs in a game since Matt Den Hartog accomplished the feat on April 9, 2019 against Long Beach City College. The inning started with sophomore outfielder Nico Briones (Long Beach Millikan HS) and Massey drawing consecutive walks with one out. Reyes followed with an RBI single, while Lopez drove in a run with an infield out. Santos then launched a moon shot into left field for a home run. He finished the day with six RBI.

Freshman outfielder Isaiah Rios (St. John Bosco HS) reached base three times on the day and scored a pair of runs, with Reyes (1-for-3, two walks, three runs), Massey (two runs, walk) and Orozco (two RBI) also having good games at the plate.

Photos by Daryl Peterson