Three home runs in the fifth inning and stellar pitching from freshman Nolan Patterson (Long Beach Millikan HS) propelled the Cerritos College baseball team to a 6-1 South Coast Conference win at El Camino College on Tuesday. The win improves the Falcons record to 21-5 overall, while they are now 8-2 in conference play. The two teams meet up on Thursday at 2:00 p.m. at Kincaid Field in the second of their three-game series.

Scoreless through the first four innings, Cerritos put five runs on the board, thanks to three home runs. Freshman shortstop Jake Fowler (Los Alamitos HS) led off with a single and then came around to score when freshman outfielder Owen Martin (Narbonne HS) hit his sixth home run of the season on the first offering from Warriors pitcher Cameron O'Neil. Two pitches later, sophomore outfielder Isaiah Rios (St. John Bosco HS) launched a solo home to put the Falcons in front, 3-0. With one out, freshman designated hitter Brody Cuellar (Bishop Montgomery HS) doubled and scored on a two-run home run by freshman first baseman Wyatt Ormonde (Long Beach Millikan HS). It was his team-leading seventh round-tripper of the season.

Patterson (5-1) scattered six hits through the first six innings, including two in the third inning. However, a double play ended the inning and scoring threat for El Camino. He did surrender a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to end the shutout bid, but Cerritos got the run back in the top of the eighth inning.

Rios was hit by a pitch to lead off the stanza and then raced home to score on a double by sophomore outfielder Evan Saito (Torrance HS).

Saito and Fowler each had a pair of hits for the Falcons, while Patterson ended up tossing a complete game and allowed one run on eight hits and struck out four batters.