With a chance to move in third place in the South Coast Conference, the Cerritos College softball team suffered a hard-luck 1-0 loss at the hands of El Camino College on Thursday. The Falcons (25-10, 12-7) would have moved ahead of the Warriors in the conference standings with a win. It doesn't get any easier for Cerritos, as they travel to face first place Long Beach City College on the road at 1:00 p.m. on Friday.

Scoreless through the first three innings, El Camino (23-11, 13-5) scored the game's lone run in the bottom of the fourth inning off sophomore pitcher Reanna Carranza (El Rancho HS). Malia Martin led off the inning with a single - the only hit of the day for the Warriors - and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Martin stole third base, but the throw from sophomore catcher Jimena Velazquez (Fullerton Union HS) was off-line and allowed Martin to score. One of the best defensive catchers in the state, Velazquez had thrown out nine baserunners on the season and it was just her second error of the year.

Carranza (25-10), who absorbed the loss, did not allow a walk and gave up just one hit.

Offensively, Cerritos saved their best chance to score until the seventh inning. They loaded the bases after consecutive singles from sophomore shortstop Marley Manalo (Walnut HS), sophomore first baseman Nadia Landeros (Warren HS/Rio Hondo College) and Velazquez to start the inning. Three fly ball outs ended their chance to extend the game.