Needing a South Coast Conference win to snap a two-game losing skid, the Cerritos College softball team posted a 5-3 win over Rio Hondo College on Thursday at Nancy Kelly Field. The Falcons (5-6, 2-5) will host Cuesta College at noon on Friday in what will be a homecoming for former Falcons All-State shortstop and assistant coach Jenel Guadagno, who is in her third season as the Cougars head coach. Guadagno was a member of the Falcons 2008 state championship team and spent seven years as a Cerritos assistant coach.

In the win over the Roadrunners, the game was tied heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. Freshman designated player Chasity Martinez (South El Monte HS) gave the Falcons the lead for good with a lead-off home run. With one out, sophomore outfielder Itzel Soto (Long Beach Millikan HS) tripled and then came home on a sacrifice fly by sophomore outfielder Haley Davis (Mayfair HS).

Sophomore pitcher Skyler Swearingen (Mayfair HS) retired eight of the final nine nine batters she faced after allowing a solo home run to Kelly Monroy in the fifth inning, which tied the game at 3-3. At one point, Cerritos led, 3-0, but watched Rio Hondo score twice in the fourth and then again in the fifth.

The Falcons opened the game by scoring twice in the bottom of the first inning. Soto led off with a walk and moved to second base on a single from Davis. After a ground out advanced both runners, consecutive singles from sophomore third baseman Kayla Aros (Torrance HS) and freshman outfielder Aliya Velasquez (Northview HS) brought home both runners.

Davis (2-for-3) led off the third inning with a double and raced home on a single by sophomore first baseman Brianna Spoolstra (Mayfair HS). The Falcons led the bases loaded that inning and collected just one more hit until the Martinez home run put the team back in the lead.

Photos by Daryl Peterson