In their final regular season home game, the Cerritos College softball team honored their sophomores before their non-conference game against Santiago Canyon College at Nancy Kelly Field on Saturday. The Falcons (21-16) were shut out by the Hawks (29-9), 5-0 with the team scheduled for one more game before the playoff pairings are announced. The team will travel to El Camino College on Tuesday in a South Coast Conference game.

Santiago Canyon, ranked #7 in the state, scored three runs in the first inning and added another in the second inning to take a lead they would not relinquish. The Falcons threatened in the second inning when freshman Deja Sendejas (El Rancho HS) singled with one out, followed by a walk to sophomore Rain Vega (La Mirada HS). Both runners were stranded, which was the case in the third inning.

Freshman Kayla Aros (Torrance HS) walked with one out and moved to second base on a Brianna Spoolstra (Mayfair HS) base hit. A fielder's choice put runners at first and third base, but Cerritos couldn't push a run across the plate. They got a pair of runners on base in the fifth inning, as well, after sophomore Briana Lopez (Norwalk HS) walked and advanced to second on an infield single by Aros. A pop-up and a fly ball ended that scoring threat.

Spoolstra and Sendejas each collected a pair of hits, with Aros reaching base three times, thanks to a base hit and two walks.

The four walks drawn by the Falcons moved them into second place in the state with 148 walks. Cerritos, who has led the state in walks for the last five years, trails Monterey Peninsula College, who has 153 walks on the year.

Photos by Daryl Peterson