In their non-conference game against visiting Ventura College on Saturday afternoon, the teams took turns taking the lead. But it was a pair of big innings by the Cerritos College softball team that turned out to be enough, as they posted a 5-4 win at Nancy Kelly Field. The Falcons (4-2) will now travel to Fullerton College on Tuesday for a 2:00 p.m. non-conference game.

Trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning, Cerritos got their first two runners on base, thanks to a leadoff single by sophomore Mackenzie Kutzke (Los Alamitos HS/University of Montana) and a fielder's choice by sophomore Jezeree Misaalefua (Carson HS/Long Beach CC). After an out was recorded, sophomore pitcher Jenny Navarro (Warren HS) clubbed a three-run home run on the first offering from Olivia Hernandez.

The lead increased to 5-1 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Kutzke led off with a single and freshman first baseman Kylee Brown (Mayfair HS) drew a one-out walk. A single by Navarro loaded the bases for sophomore shortstop Raquel Norzagaray (Pioneer HS), who laced a two-run, two-out single for that turned out to be the eventual winning runs.

Navarro (3-0) pitched the first five innings and allowed three runs on five hits. Freshman Kristen Voller (Norco HS) tossed a perfect sixth inning. But in the seventh inning, she allowed a two-out solo home run to Hernandez. After Julianne Abeloe followed with a single, Voller earned her first save of the season when she got Justine De La Rosa to ground out.

Photos by Daryl Peterson