Continuing to swing a white-hot bat, Cerritos College sophomore catcher Jimena Velazquez (Fullerton HS) clubbed a two-run home run and drove in four runs in the team's 6-0 South Coast Conference win over visiting Long Beach City College on Friday. The Falcons (23-12, 15-5), who have now won five games in a row and 10 of their last 12 games, will travel to El Camino College on Saturday for a noon rain-make-up game.

Velazquez, who has driven in 26 of her 29 runs in conference play, got the scoring started with a two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, sophomore shortstop Miranda Diaz (California HS) laced a base hit, with Velazquez following with her team-leading fifth home run of the season. She's also batting .550 (11-for-20) with 11 RBI in the last seven games.

That would be enough offense for sophomore pitcher Samantha Islas (Roosevelt HS), who has been at her best this season in the last month. She scattered five hits and struck out four batters, and aside for a bunt single in the sixth inning, set down 10 of the final 12 batters to earn her fourth win in the last five days.

The Falcons had the bases loaded in the third inning after three walks. Sophomore third baseman Brooklyn Bedolla (Mayfair HS) drove in a run with a base hit, but was caught off the bag when Diaz hit a line drive back to the pitcher to end the inning. Velazquez made it a 5-0 game after she singled home a pair of runners in the fifth inning.

In that stanza, sophomore first baseman Richere Leduc (California HS) led off with a walk and was sacrifice to second base. Bedolla was then hit by a pitch, while an infield single by Diaz loaded the bases for Velazquez. Freshman outfielder Marley Manalo (Walnut HS) closed out the scoring with a two-out solo home run in the sixth inning.

Photos by Daryl Peterson