Softball: Victory sends Falcons into playoffs on six-game winning streak

File Photo: Alyssa Sotelo drove in the game's only run in the sixth inning
File Photo: Alyssa Sotelo drove in the game's only run in the sixth inning

In their final regular season game of the year, the Cerritos College softball team posted a 1-0 South Coast Conference win over Rio Hondo College on Wednesday. The Falcons (30-10), who finished in second place in the conference, also reached the 30-win mark for the first time since the 2016 season. They will open the 1st Round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs at home on May 6, while their opponent in the best-of-three series has yet to be determined.

The two teams were locked in a scoreless battle until Cerritos was able to get on the board in the top of the fifth inning. Freshman Richere Leduc (California HS) led off with a base hit, but was forced out on a fielder's choice off the bat of freshman first baseman Ariana Hamilton (Downey HS). Freshman catcher Vicky Najera (El Rancho HS) then laced a double, with freshman second baseman Alyssa Sotelo (El Rancho HS) driving in Hamilton with a sacrifice fly.

Freshman starting pitcher Samantha Islas (Roosevelt HS), who tossed 6 1/3 innings the day before, pitched the first 3 1/3 innings before coming out in favor of freshman Courtney Callison (Santa Fe HS). After giving up a pair of singles, Callison retired the next two to get out of the inning. Callison (6-3) extended it to five batters in a row before an error to start the sixth inning gave Rio Hondo some hope. But Callison went on to sit down the next six batters to close out the shutout victory.