Softball: Falcons post 12-0 conference win over El Camino

File Photo: Alyssa Sotelo reached base four times and drove in a pair for the Falcons
File Photo: Alyssa Sotelo reached base four times and drove in a pair for the Falcons

Entering the 2022 season, the Cerritos College softball team hadn't defeated El Camino since the 2018 season. In their two meetings this season, the Falcons won both games and have outscored the Warriors, 17-1, including a 12-0, 6-inning win on Thursday. With the win, Cerritos is now 15-5 overall and sit in a second place tie in the South Coast Conference. The team will travel to Southwestern College (2-16) on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. non-conference game.

It was a modest 6-0 lead for the Falcons after the first five innings, until the team scored six times in the sixth inning to invoke the mercy rule. Cerritos scored their 12 runs by stringing together base hits, as only one of their 13 hits went for extra bases.

They opened the scoring in the first inning when they loaded the bases on a pair of fielder's choices and a single by freshman third baseman Brooklyn Bedolla (Mayfair HS). The first run scored on a wild pitch, while freshman designated player Maddy Guillen (La Puente HS) drove in another run with a base hit. The Falcons picked up their third run of the inning on another fielder's choice, which resulted in an RBI for freshman outfielder Negasse Williams (Aliso Niguel HS).

Freshman pitcher Samantha Islas (Roosevelt HS) received all the run support she would need, as she shut out the Warriors on three hits through the first five innings, with freshman Courtney Callison (Santa Fe HS) tossing the sixth inning. Islas improved to 10-2 on the season.

Cerritos loaded the bases again in the third inning, and added to their lead on a run-scoring single from Guillen before freshman Ariana Hamilton (Downey HS) came on as a pinch-hitter and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Freshman outfielder Alyssa Capps (Downey HS) made it a 6-0 game with an RBI single in the fifth inning.

In the six-run sixth inning, freshman catcher Vicky Najera (El Rancho HS) led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Bedolla followed with a walk before the fourth El Camino error of the day allowed Najera to score. It was a bases loaded situation once again, with freshman outfielder Angelica Gonzalez (Sierra Vista HS) getting hit by a pitch to bring in another run. Freshman pinch-hitter Makayla Torres (Sonora HS) and Capps each followed with two-run singles to close out the scoring.

Every starter had at least one hit on the day, with Sotelo reaching base four times, thanks to a pair of hits and two walks. Bedolla (three runs), Guillen (two RBI) and Capps all had two hits.