Former Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver is famous for saying, "The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers." Well, Weaver would have loved the Cerritos College softball team on Tuesday, as they launched five home runs in their 16-6 South Coast Conference win over Long Beach City College at Nancy Kelly Field. Of the five home runs, two were grand slams and one was a three-run home run. The team has now hit five grand slams this season.

The win improves the Falcons record to 13-6 overall and 8-1 in conference play. They will travel to East Los Angeles College on Thursday for a 3:00 p.m. conference game.

The Vikings (5-12, 3-6) scored a run in the top of the first inning, but Cerritos came back in the bottom of the stanza and drew three straight walks. That set the table for sophomore catcher Krystal Purkey (Gahr HS), who unleashed a deep home run to left field off Mary Gonzalez for a grand slam and 4-1 lead. In the top of the second inning, freshman pitcher Jennifer Navarro (Warren HS) and freshman outfielder Jasmine Javier (Cerritos HS) each collected singles, with sophomore first baseman Haley Petruccelli (Torrance HS) getting hit by a pitch between them. Freshman pinch-hitter Karissa Hamilton (Long Beach Wilson HS) followed with a towering grand slam that hit the scoreboard in center field.

The second inning continued with sophomore outfielder Joanna Perruccio (Long Beach Wilson HS) and freshman shortstop Jenny Collazo (Paramount HS) drawing walks. Up stepped sophomore third baseman Crystal Cano (Norwalk HS/Lynn, FL University), who hit a three-run home run for a 12-1 lead after two innings. Navarro, who earned the win in the circle, added a solo home run in the third inning off a third Vikings pitcher.

However, LBCC did score five runs in the top of the fourth inning (two unearned) to get to within 13-6, but Cerritos came back in the bottom of the inning for three more runs. Purkey hit her second home run of the game - and fifth of the season - with a two-run round-tripper.

Purkey finished with six RBI, while Cano and Hamilton each drove in four runs. A quartet of Cerritos players had two hits, while Jenny Santiago led Long Beach with two hits and a two-run home run.

Photos by Daryl Peterson