Leading most of the game, the Cerritos College softball team had to score three times in the top of the seventh inning for a 4-2 come-from-behind win over Palomar College on Saturday. The win by the #5-seeded Falcons (31-12) over the #4-seeded Comets (35-6) advances them to the championship semifinals of the Super Regional, which is being held at Cypress College. The team will now take on the #1-seeded Chargers, who opened the Super Regional with a 5-0 win over Fullerton College.

The win over Palomar was the first of the season for the Falcons, who suffered a pair of close losses earlier in the season. Cerritos will also be looking for their first win of the year against the host Chargers, who have defeated them twice already.

Holding on to a slim 1-0 lead through the first 5 1/2 innings, Cerritos saw Palomar score twice in the bottom of the sixth inning, which put the team's back against the wall. Freshman pitcher Kristen Voller (Norco HS) was pitching a gem, until consecutive singles to start the sixth inning marked the end of her day, as freshman Jissel Caballero (Warren HS) took over in the circle.

The Comets collected four hits off Caballero to account for their two runs, with the last two coming with two outs that plated the runs.

In the top of the seventh inning, sophomore outfielder Jezeree Misaalefua (Carson HS/Long Beach CC) laced a one-out double to get things started. Facing sophomore second baseman Jenny Collazo (Paramount HS), Comets pitcher Summer Evans was told to intentionally walk the South Coast Conference Player of the Year. The fourth pitch of the intentional walk was wild, which allowed Misaalefua to advance to third base.

Sophomore shortstop Camille Manzo (La Habra HS/Sterling (KS) University) knotted the game with a bloop hit to right field that drove in Misaalefua. After a fielder's choice by freshman outfielder Kimberly Olivas (Warren HS) advanced Collazo to third base, Caballero (6-1) singled into shallow left field to bring home Collazo with the eventual game-winning run. Navarro followed with an RBI single for an insurance run.

Misaalefua, who scored the tying run, gave the Falcons a 1-0 lead in the second inning with a base hit that drove in sophomore outfielder Mackenzie Kutzke (Los Alamitos HS/University of Montana), who singled and stole second base. On defense, Misaalefua helped Voller out of a situation in the fifth inning when she caught a line drive and doubled up Tayler Moore at second base. The Comets started the inning with the first two batters reaching on errors.

Photos by Daryl Peterson