Gearing up to play five games in the next six days, the Cerritos College softball team opened with an 8-2 South Coast Conference win at East Los Angeles College on Monday. The victory was the team's 20th win of the season, a mark they have now reached for the 33rd time in school history. The Falcons (20-12, 12-5) will travel to Los Angeles Harbor College on Tuesday for another 3:00 p.m. conference game.

It was a tight 2-1 game through the first four innings before Cerritos scored three times in the top of the fifth inning. Freshman outfielder Marley Manalo (Walnut HS) led off with a walk before sophomore third baseman Brooklyn Bedolla (Mayfair HS) put runners at first and second base after reaching on an error. Sophomore shortstop Miranda Diaz (California HS) drove in the first run with a base hit, while freshman catcher Jimena Velazquez (Fullerton HS) singled in two more runs.

Sophomore starting pitcher Samantha Islas (Roosevelt HS) earned the win in the circle after pitching the first five innings and allowed just one run on three hits. Freshman Reanna Carranza (El Rancho HS) closed out the game by pitching the final two innings.

The Falcons opened the game with sophomore second baseman Alyssa Sotelo (El Rancho HS) reaching on an infield single and then stole second base. Manalo drove in the first run with a base hit, while Sotelo gave the team a lead they would not relinquish with an RBI single in the second inning. Velazquez opened the stanza with a walk and advanced to second base on a passed ball before the RBI hit.

Velazquez wasn't done at the plate, as she laced an RBI single in the top of the sixth inning that brought in sophomore outfielder Alyssa Capps (Downey HS), who singled and stole second base. Velazquez then came home on a sacrifice fly by sophomore designated player Maddy Guillen (La Puente HS).