With four South Coast Conference games remaining on the schedule, the Cerritos College softball team has pulled to within a game of a tie for third place. On Friday, the Falcons (21-9, 10-6) posted a 5-1 win over Compton College for their sixth win in a row. The team is now one game behind third place El Camino College, who they face on April 18. Cerritos will now host Los Angeles Mission College in a double header at Nancy Kelly Field with the first game slated for 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.

In the win over the Tartars (21-14, 9-9), the team took a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. They opened the scoring in the second inning when sophomore designated player Celeste Carbajal (Mayfair HS) led off with a single and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by freshman second baseman Ayiana Cardenas (Walnut HS). Freshman outfielder Morgan Fontela (Long Beach Millikan HS) drove in the first run with a base hit, while another sacrifice bunt, this time by sophomore outfielder Jocelyn Doan (Walnut HS) advanced Fontela, who scored on a single by sophomore outfielder Jazmine Macias (La Mirada HS).

The Falcons doubled their lead in the fourth inning when Fontela led off with a single and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Doan. Sophomore third baseman Natalie Basurto (Walnut HS) drew a two-out walk, with consecutive singles from sophomore shortstop Marley Manalo (Walnut HS) and sophomore first baseman Nadia Landeros (Warren HS/Rio Hondo College) driving in a run apiece.

Sophomore pitcher Reanna Carranza (El Rancho HS) allowed just two hits through the first three innings, with Compton getting on the board for their lone run in the fourth inning. After allowing the run-scoring single, Carranza (22-9) scattered just two more hits the remainder of the game for her 28th complete game of the season. She also recorded three strikeouts on the day. Carranza is just two complete games away from being one of only sixth to reach the 30 complete game mark in school history.

Manalo finished the game 3-for-4, while Landeros stayed hot with two more hits and a walk and Fontela contributed a pair of his and scored twice. In the last five games, Landeros is 11-for-16 (.688) at the plate with three walks and five RBI.