Needing just three outs to defeat defending South Coast Conference champion El Camino College on Tuesday, the Cerritos College softball team was extended to extra innings after allowing three runs. After seven innings of play, the game was tied, 6-6, with the conclusion of the game to be played on March 31 when the Warriors return to Nancy Kelly Field.

Trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning, sophomore outfielder Itzel Soto (Long Beach Millikan HS) clubbed a solo home run to get the Falcons on the board. It was a 3-1 game until the fifth inning until Cerritos scored three times on just one hit, as the Warriors committed two errors. Soto led off with a walk and advanced to third base on a single from sophomore first baseman Brianna Spoolstra (Mayfair HS) after El Camino center fielder Clarissa Chiquette bobbled the ball.

A throwing error by shortstop Mina Nakawake on a ground ball from freshman catcher Dominique Jimenez (El Rancho HS) brought in one run, while a deep sacrifice fly from sophomore outfielder Kayla Aros (Torrance HS) plated Spoolstra.

The Falcons put three more runs on the board in the sixth inning to take a 6-3 lead. With one out, freshman second baseman Aliya Velasquez (Northview HS) walked, moved to second base on a wild pitch and moved to third on another Nakawake error. That set the table for Soto, who tripled in both runners, with Spoolstra driving in Soto with her third base hit of the game.

However, El Camino scored three times off sophomore relief pitcher Skyler Swearingen (Mayfair HS), with two runs coming in on a home run by Chiquette. Defensive struggles then hit the Falcons, as three errors helped account for the third run of the stanza, which sent the game to extra innings.