With each victory at a premium for the Cerritos College softball team, the Falcons helped their cause when they split a doubleheader with visiting Southwestern College. In the first game, the Falcons had more than enough chances to score more runs, but suffered a 3-1 loss, while they rebounded for a 5-2 win in the second game. The team will now travel to Chaffey College on Monday for a 3:00 p.m. South Coast Conference game.

Game 1 - In four of the first five innings of the game, Cerritos (15-17) was able to get their leadoff batter on base. However, they were only able to push across a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to draw to within 3-1. The Jaguars (20-13) scored single runs in the first three innings, with the third coming as a result of an error. For the Falcons, they left a runner at third base in the first inning, as well as the bases loaded in the second inning. With runners on second and third base in the bottom of the fourth, they ended up stranding both runners, and finally scored when sophomore first baseman Keira Bolinas (Torrance HS) singled home freshman outfielder Haley Davis (Mayfair HS), who led off with a double. The Falcons ended up leaving 10 runners on base.

Game 2 - Taking advantage of their baserunners in the second game, freshman outfielder Itzel Soto (Long Beach Millikan HS) drove in a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. After Bolinas led off with a single and then moved to third when sophomore shortstop Tena Spoolstra (Mayfair HS) reached base on an error, the Falcons had runners in scoring position after Spoolstra stole second base. Soto laced a 3-0 pitch into center field to drive in both runs. Sophomore starting pitcher Sierra Gerdts (Montebello HS) pitched the first four innings and allowed one run on five hits before sophmore Ally Udell (Whittier Christian HS) took over. Working out of a jam in the fifth inning, Udell allowed a run in the sixth inning, but got out of the stanza on a ground ball with runners on first and second base.

Cerritos added to their lead in the fifth inning by scoring three more times. Davis led off by getting hit by a pitch and advanced on a throwing error by pitcher Kianna Knoll on a bunt by Spoolstra. After a pitching change, sophomore designated player Kayla Hernandez (Santa Fe HS) drove in both runners with a single up the middle. With the bases loaded and one out, freshman third baseman Sophia Collazo (Paramount HS) singled up the middle to close out the scoring.

Udell was removed from the game after allowing a leadoff single in the top of the seventh inning. Freshman Skyler Swearingen (Mayfair HS) came on in relief and with one out, got Brielle Tyseling to hit into a game-ending double play. Prior to the at-bat Tyseling was 3-for-3 on the day.

Photos by Daryl Peterson