Trailing 5-0 heading into the bottom of the third inning, the Cerritos College baseball team saw their comeback end 90 feet short, as they dropped a 6-5 non-conference decision to Chaffey College on Saturday. The Falcons (20-5) will resume South Coast Conference play next week and open a three-game series against El Camino College on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. in Torrance.

Cerritos scratched and clawed their way back into the game and entered the ninth inning down, 6-3. With out out, freshman designated hitter Brody Cuellar (Bishop Montgomery HS), which was followed by a single up the middle by freshman first baseman Wyatt Ormonde (Long Beach Millikan HS). A walk to sophomore second baseman Dylan Immel (El Segundo HS) loaded the bases for the Falcons. The Panthers (18-7-1) turned to relief pitcher Joe O Reagan, who promptly surrendered a two-run single to sophomore outfielder Isaiah Rios (St. John Bosco HS) to make it a 6-5 game.

Sophomore pinch-hitter Nate Gardenswartz (Long Beach Wilson HS) then legged out an infield single to load the bases once again. However, freshman shortstop Fabian Ochoa (Warren HS) struck out and freshman outfielder Owen Martin (Narbonne HS) flew out to end the rally.

It was a difficult day in the field for sophomore third baseman Evan Saito (Torrance HS), whose three errors directly led the the first five runs (all unearned) against sophomore starting pitcher Derek Valdez (Los Alamitos HS). A throwing error started the second inning, while another throwing error on a ground ball brought home the second run. Chaffey then pulled off a double steal, with Dominick Torrez scoring the third run. By the end of the stanza, the Panters led, 4-0 and added another earned run in the third inning.

Valdez (8-1) suffered his first loss of the season, as he went seven innings and allowed eight hits, while striking out four batters. After the run in the third inning, Valdez set down 13 of the final 16 batters he faced.

Cerritos picked up single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to get to within 5-3, as Rios led off the sixth with a triple and scored on a double from sophomore catcher Daniel Cuadras (Warren HS/Goolden West College). Saito, who went 1-for-2 with two walks and a hit by pitch at the plate, opened the seventh inning with a single and advanced to second base on a throwing error. Cuellar singled before Saito scored when Ormonde hit into a double play.