Freshman pitcher Myles Johnson (Katella HS) tossed 8+ innings, while the Cerritos College baseball team scored three times in the first inning on their way to a 4-1 non-conference win over Taft College at Kincaid Field on Friday. It was the first meeting between the two schools since 1991. The Falcons (25-5) picked up their third win of the week and will return to South Coast Conference play on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. when they host Compton College.

Johnson (6-2), who allowed one run on three hits, also struck out six Cougars (12-14) on the day. He didn't allow his first hit until the fourth inning with two of the three previous baserunners gunned down by freshman catcher Ryan Reyes (Los Alamitos HS), who threw out both who tried to steal a base. After surrendering a walk and single to lead off the ninth inning, Johnson stepped aside for sophomore closer Calix Armijo (Mary Star of the Sea HS), who gave up a single to load the bases, but then recorded a force out and a double play to end the game. Armijo is second in the state with seven saves.

Cerritos scored all the runs they would need in the bottom of the first inning, as they took an early 3-0 lead. Freshman third baseman Alonso Reyes (Culver City HS) was hit by a pitch, followed by a walk to freshman outfielder Isaiah Rios (St. John Bosco HS) to get the inning started. Sophomore first baseman Mike Santos (Servite HS) got the Falcons on the board with an RBI double, while freshman second baseman Dylan Immel (El Segundo HS) followed with an RBI ground out. Sophomore designated hitter Lucas Iorgulescu (Marina HS) doubled home Santos for the team's third run of the inning.

The team had several other chances to add to their total, but could not come up with the key hit. Sophomore outfielder Nico Briones (Long Beach Millikan HS) was stranded at second base after his one-out double, while a leadoff error and then a single by Rios didn't amount to anything else in the fifth inning.

They eventually added a single run in the eighth inning when freshman outfielder Diego Orozco (Long Beach Wilson HS) drew a lead-off walk. Sophomore pinch-runner Marlon Oviedo (Colegio Parroquial San Rafael N#1, Nicaragua/Los Angeles Harbor College) stole second base and then came home on an RBI single from sophomore shortstop DJ Massey (Gahr HS/Central Arizona College). The Falcons had the bases loaded after Alonso Reyes was intentionally walk, but left them loaded. Cerritos left 12 runners on base on the day.

Photos by Daryl Peterson