It was the long ball that got the Cerritos College softball team back in the game against Riverside City College on Saturday at Nancy Kelly Field. But it only took a four-foot infield single to drive in the winning run in the seventh inning in a 6-5 Falcon (3-1) win.

Trailing, 5-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, leadoff hitter Haley Davis (Mayfair HS) was hit by a pitch and then advanced to second base when sophomore outfielder Itzel Soto (Long Beach Millikan HS) drew a walk. Up stepped sophomore first baseman Brianna Spoolstra (Mayfair HS), who singled through the right side of the infield off Marissa-Lena Nares to drive in Davis with the tying run, with Soto advancing to third base. Freshman catcher Dominique Jimenez (El Rancho HS) then hit a squibber that rolled about four feet inside the foul line for a single, which plated Soto with the winning run.

Trailing, 3-0 after the Tigers scored twice in the first inning on a home run from Annabelle Salas and then added a single run in the second inning, Cerritos staged a comeback in the bottom of the third inning.

With one out, Soto (left, scoring the game-winning run) blasted a solo home run to left-center field to get the Falcons on the scoreboard. Spoolstra and Jimenez followed with singles up the middle, which set the table for sophomore Kayla Aros (Torrance HS). She launched a 3-2 pitch from starting pitcher Alianna Arroyo to left field, which put Cerritos in the lead, 4-3.

The Tigers came back with two runs in the fifth inning after relief pitcher Chasity Martinez (South El Monte HS) left a pitch too close to the plate, which allowed Salas to double in a pair of runs. The Falcons intended on intentionally walking Salas to load the bases, but that plan did not work out. Riverside City followed in the inning with a hit batter, and when Zinaida Preciado followed with a single between Soto in left field and freshman shortstop Kara Spoolstra, Salas tried to score from second base. Spoolstra, however, fired a strike to Jimenez, who tagged her out at the plate for the third out.

In the top of the seventh inning, Riverside City loaded the bases on three singles, which brought sophomore starter Skyler Swearingen (Mayfair HS) back into the game with one out. She retired Preciado on a foul pop fly and then got pinch-hitter Samantha Robles to line out to Kara Spoolstra (Mayfair HS) to end the inning on just two pitches.

Jimenez, Aros and Brianna Spoolstra all had a pair of hits, while Soto reached base three times with the home run and a pair of walks.

Cerritos resumes South Coast Conference play on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. when they host El Camino College.

Photos by Daryl Peterson