The Cerritos College softball team cashed in three runs on nine walks against Long Beach City College on Tuesday and posted a 7-2 South Coast Conference win. The victory improved the Falcons to 18-8 on the year and 9-2 in conference play, while the Vikings fell to 15-8 and 7-4. Cerritos will now travel to East Los Angeles College for a 3:00 p.m. conference game on Thursday.

With the game tied at 1-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, freshman pitcher Jamie Ramirez (El Rancho HS) led off by reaching base on a Reanna Guzman error. After a base hit by sophomore first baseman Andrea Arellano (Downey HS), freshman third baseman Ariana Mejia (Gahr HS) followed with an RBI single. Freshman outfielder Haley Whitney (Warren HS) contributed a run-scoring single, while freshman shortstop Stephanie Olivas (Warren HS) drew a bases loaded walk to account for the third run of the inning.

In the sixth inning, freshman outfielder Arianna Hernandez (Santa Fe HS) walked, stole second base and came home on a bases loaded walk to sophomore designated player Julia Mendoza (Los Altos HS). Arellano and Mejia both drew walks against Candice Shadwell (7-7) prior to the Mendoza walk. A single by sophomore second baseman Gina Ayala (Santa Fe HS/University of Louisiana at Monroe) and a run-scoring infield out by Whitney gave the Falcons a 7-1 lead.

Ramirez earned the win by pitching five inning and was relieved by sophomore Kayla Klein (La Habra HS/Texas A&M University) in the top of the sixth inning after a lead-off walk by Ramirez. Klein struck out three batters and allowed one run (unearned) to close out the game.

Photo by Daryl Peterson