With a much improved pitching staff, the Cerritos College softball team has opened the season with a 5-2 record, with all five wins being shutouts. The Falcons picked up their third in a row on Tuesday when they traveled to Palomar College and came away with a 3-0 win. The team will host El Camino College at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday in a South Coast Conference game.

Freshman Samantha Islas (Roosevelt HS) tossed her second complete game shutout of the season, as she limited the Comets (5-1) to just four hits. Islas did allow a first-inning double, but freshman right fielder Havyn Marines (West Covina HS) threw out Samantha Martinez at third base. She also worked out of a two-on, no-out situation in the third inning with a fielder's choice, strikeout and pop-up. 

With the Falcons leading, 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Comets were able to load the bases after the first two outs were recorded. Islas allowed a pair of walks and a single before getting Malachy Russell-Millen to fly out and end the inning.

Offensively, Cerritos opened the scoring in the first inning when freshman second baseman Alyssa Sotelo (El Rancho HS) walked, stole second base with two outs and scored on a double by freshman third baseman Brooklyn Bedolla (Mayfair HS). Sotelo had a hand in the team's second run in the third inning. After reaching base on a fielder's choice, she stole second and was driven in on a two-out single by freshman shortstop Miranda Diaz (California HS).

After Islas worked out of the jam in the sixth inning, Cerritos gave her another run to work with when a two-out error brought in the team's third run. The Falcons had the bases loaded and Sotelo hit a ball to third base that was mishandled, which allowed freshman pinch-hitter Ariana Hamilton (Downey HS) to score.