In the first game of their non-conference doubleheader against College of the Canyons on Saturday at Nancy Kelly Field, the Cerritos College softball team committed seven errors in a 10-7 loss. They responded by scoring a school-record 14 first-inning runs on their way to a 14-2, 5-inning win to earn a split. The team will resume South Coast Conference play on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. when they host Mt. San Antonio College.

Game 1 - In the top of the first inning, a pair of errors and a passed ball helped the Cougars (7-4) take a 3-0 lead. However, Canyons returned the favor by committing four errors in the bottom of the inning, which allowed the Falcons (8-8) get get a pair of the runs back. Freshman outfielder Haley Davis (Mayfair HS) was hit by a pitch, while sophomore shortstop Tena Spoolstra (Mayfair HS) followed with an infield hit, with a throwing error allowing Davis to advance to third base. Spoolstra stole second base, and when the throw skipped away, it allowed Davis to score. A fielding error allowed Spoolstra to come home with the second run. An RBI bunt single in the bottom of the second inning drove in sophomore Victoria Medina (Whittier HS/Rio Hondo College), who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. The Cougars added three runs in the third inning, with two coming on a home run by Micayla Aguilar, her first of two on the day.

Trailing 8-4 heading into the fifth inning, the Falcons scored three times to get within a run. A leadoff single by sophomore first baseman Keira Bolinas (Torrance HS), along with a two-out walk to freshman catcher Erica Martinez (Kennedy HS) set the table for sophomore third baseman Kayla Hernandez (Santa Fe HS), who drove both of them in with a double into the left-centerfield gap. A pair of walks loaded the bases for Davis, who was hit by a pitch, which forced in a run. The inning ended with the bases loaded, as Cerritos saw eight of the 10 runners left on base stranded in scoring position.

Game 2 - Taking out their aggression at the start of the second game, the Falcons set a first inning school record by batting around twice and scoring 14 runs. All nine batters in the lineup scored at least one run, with the last four runs of the inning coming on a grand slam by Hernandez in her second plate appearance of the stanza. A single by Davis, along with a walk to Bolinas and freshman outfielder Itzel Soto (Long Beach Millikan HS) getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases for sophomore catcher Deja Sendejas (El Rancho HS), who drove in a pair with a single. Medina added another bases loaded two-run single, while Davis cleared another bases loaded situation with a triple down the right field line. Spoolstra followed with an RBI bunt single, with Sendejas driving in her third run of the inning with a double.

Sophomore pitcher Sierra Gerdts (Montebello HS) lasted all five innings and scattered five hits, with her only blemish being a two-run home run to Rena Edwards in the fourth inning.

Photos by Daryl Peterson