Softball: Loss in Game 1 puts Falcons back against the wall

File Photo: Maddy Guillen had one of the team's three hits
File Photo: Maddy Guillen had one of the team's three hits

Hosting a best-of-3 Southern California Super Regional on Friday, the Cerritos College softball team finds their backs against the wall after an 8-0, 6-inning loss. The #2-seeded Falcons (32-11), who saw their eight-game winning streak snapped, must now defeat #7-seeded Santiago Canyon College (32-12) twice, with Game 2 scheduled for noon on Saturday at Nancy Kelly Field. If a third, and deciding game is needed, it will be played 30 minutes at the conclusion of the noon game.

The Hawks got on board in the top of the first inning with a pair of runs (one unearned) on four hits. With a runner on first base, Samantha Villanueva hit a ground ball into the hole at shortstop, where freshman Miranda Diaz (California HS) saw her throw get away from first baseman Richere Leduc (California HS). The first run would score on a passed ball, with Jazmyn Moetului driving in the second run with a base hit. Cerritos got out of the inning with Santiago Canyon leaving the bases loaded.

The Falcons didn't get their first hit until the bottom of the third inning and trailing, 3-0. Freshman outfielder Angelica Gonzalez (Sierra Vista HS) led off with a bunt single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from freshman outfielder Alyssa Capps (Downey HS). But Gonzalez was stranded, leaving Cerritos looking for other ways to score runs.

Leadoff singles in the fourth and fifth innings didn't produce any runs, as freshman third baseman Brooklyn Bedolla (Mayfair HS) was cut down at second base after a single to start the fourth inning. It turned out to be a quick inning, as the Falcons hit into a double play to end the stanza. Freshman outfielder Negasse Williams (Aliso Niguel HS) was able to get as far as third base after a sacrifice bunt in the fifth inning, followed by another sacrifice bunt from Gonzalez and a stolen base. But freshman pinch-hitter Ariana Hamilton (Downey HS) grounded out to end the threat.

Freshman pitcher Samantha Islas (Roosevelt HS) was charged with all eight runs (four earned) through the first 5 1/3 innings, with freshman Courtney Callison (Santa Fe HS) coming on to retire the final two batters. The Hawks scored five runs in the sixth inning on just two hits, and were aided by a walk, hit batter and error.