Hosting a 1st Round Southern California Regional Playoff series, the Cerritos College softball team opened up a 1-0 lead after their 12-2, 5-inning win over Los Angeles Mission College on Friday. The Falcons (31-10), who are seeded #2 for the postseason, are one win away from advancing to the Super Regional, while the #15-seeded Eagles (24-18) must win twice on Saturday. The teams meet up at Nancy College Field for Game 2 at noon. The win was also the seventh in a row for Cerritos.

The Falcons took advantage of a pair of LA Mission defensive miscues in the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead. Freshman first baseman Richere Leduc (California HS) led off and reached base on an error, while freshman third baseman Brooklyn Bedolla (Mayfair HS) followed with a hard hit infield single. With one out, freshman second baseman Alyssa Sotelo (El Rancho HS) singled to right field, and when Haylee Sanchez misplayed the ball, it allowed Leduc to score. Bedolla took a wide turn around third base and was throw out trying to get back to the bag. Freshman designated player Maddy Guillen (La Puente HS) clubbed a two-out double that plated Sotelo to give Cerritos a 2-0 lead.

Freshman shortstop Miranda Diaz (California HS) and Leduc drew consecutive one-out walks, with Bedolla stepping up and lacing a double, which drove in the first run of the second inning. Back-to-back RBI singles from freshman catcher Vicky Najera (El Rancho HS) and Sotelo off relief pitcher Sanchez put the team in front, 5-0.

South Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year Samantha Islas (Roosevelt HS) retired the first eight LA Mission batters before a walk and single set the table for Tiara Laporte, who doubled in both runners in the third inning. After allowing that hit, Islas (22-6) limited the Eagles to just one hit and set down seven of the final eight batters.

The Falcon bats weren't done, as Sotelo laced a single in the fourth inning for a run, with freshman pinch-hitter Makayla Torres (Sonora HS) providing a two-run double to extend the lead. Freshman outfielder Alyssa Capps (Downey HS) laid down a bunt for a base hit that drove in the final run of the inning. Cerritos closed out the game with Bedolla delivering a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, which enacted the mercy run rule. It was Bedolla's team-leading fifth home run of the season.

On the day, Bedolla went 4-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored, with Sotelo going 3-for-3 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored.

Photos by Daryl Peterson