For the second time in as many days, the Cerritos College softball team needed just six innings to earn a victory. On Friday, the Falcons (4-0) handed visiting Cuesta College a 9-1 loss, while they defeated Santa Ana College the day before in the same manner. The win by Cerritos was also their home opener. The team will turn around and take on host Fullerton College tomorrow in a 1:00 p.m. game against the defending state champions.

The Falcons scored the first three runs against the Cougars (1-2), who are coached by former Cerritos All-State Tournament selection Jenel Guadagno, who was a member of the program's 2008 state championship team. In the bottom of the third inning, they loaded the bases on singles by sophomore second baseman Ayiana Cardenas (Walnut HS) and freshman outfielder Carissa Amaya (El Rancho HS), as well as a walk to freshman catcher Sienna Contreras (John Glenn HS). The first run of the game came on a one-out walk to sophomore outfielder Vicky Najera (El Rancho HS).

Amaya, who had three hits and three RBI on the day, singled home Cardenas, who walked earlier in the inning. The stanza opened with freshman first baseman Valerie Vasquez (California HS) leading off with a solo home run.

Freshman starting pitcher Tatyana Cortez (La Serna HS) earned the win with four solid innings, as she struck out seven batters and allowed one unearned run on five hits. Freshman pitcher Mia Star Miramontes (Sierra Vista HS) tossed the final two innings and allowed just one hit.

With the game at 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Falcons took advantage of three Cuesta errors to push five runs across the plate to open the game up. Amaya picked up two of her RBI with a bases loaded single, while freshman third baseman Marley Cortez (Gahr HS) added an RBI single in the inning.

Vasquez (3-for-4, RBI) and Amaya (3-for-3, three RBI) were joined by freshman outfielder Morgan Fontela (Long Beach Millikan HS), who had a pair of hits and scored twice to lead the offensive attack.

Photos by Daryl Peterson