For the second game in a row, the Cerritos College softball team jumped on the board in the first inning with a big number. They posted four runs in the first inning on Thursday against El Camino College and on Saturday at Nancy Kelly Field, they scored five times against Cypress College. However, unlike the game against the Warriors, the Falcons saw that lead slip away in an 8-6 loss. The team will play a doubleheader at College of the Canyons on Tuesday.

In that five-run first inning, Cerritos started with a lead-off double from freshman second baseman Alyssa Sotelo (El Rancho HS), who advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt from freshman third baseman Brooklyn Bedolla (Mayfair HS). After freshman catcher Vicky Najera (El Rancho HS) was hit by a pitch, freshman shortstop Miranda Diaz (California HS) got the team on the board with an RBI single. Freshman first baseman Richere Leduc (California HS) added another run-scoring single, while a base hit from freshman designated player Maddy Guillen (La Puente HS) loaded the bases.

Freshman outfielder Negasse Williams (Aliso Niguel HS) drew a walk, which plated another run, while freshman Ariana Hamilton (Downey HS) came in to hit for Havyn Marines (West Covina HS) and delivered an RBI single. Sotello, who got the inning started, capped it off with a bases loaded walk to give the Falcons a 5-0 advantage.

The Chargers (6-0), who had only given up a total of five runs through their first five games, got back into the game with three runs in the third inning and another in the fourth, thanks to a Cerritos error. They took the lead for good when freshman pitcher Courtney Callison (Santa Fe HS), who came on in relief in the fourth inning, gave up a run on a single, hit by pitch, wild pitch and fielder's choice. That brought on freshman Samantha Islas (Roosevelt HS), who started the game and tossed the first three innings. Facing opposing pitcher Emily Rush, Islas saw her 2-2 offering go over the fence for a three-run home run and an 8-6 Cypress lead.

Cerritos put a pair of runners on base in the sixth inning, but could not score. They left one runner on base in the seventh inning and a total of 12 in the game.

Photos by Daryl Peterson