With two outs in the ninth inning and their ace, sophomore John Ortega (Downey HS) on the mound with a three-run lead and runners at first and third, it looked pretty safe that the Cerritos College baseball team was going to secure a win over El Camino College and at least a share of the South Coast Conference title on Saturday at Kincaid Field. But, the Warriors scored four times in the top of the ninth inning and took a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.

    But the Falcons (27-13, 18-3), who earned one-third of the conference title last year with the Warriors (26-13, 15-6)and Los Angeles Harbor College, were now facing El Camino’s ace, Kellen Moen to start the bottom of the stanza. With runners on first and second base after freshman outfielder Brandon Pesante (La Mirada HS) and sophomore shortstop Jerry Pena (Los Altos HS) walked, freshman first baseman George Sanchez (Gahr HS) tied the game at 5-5 with a base hit to left field.

    That brought up sophomore outfielder Trever Blood (La Mirada HS), who drilled an 0-2 offering into left field, scoring Pena with the winning run. It was a memorable day at the plate for Blood, who clubbed a solo home run in the second inning and hit a mammoth two-run home run over the second tier of the 410-foot sign in left-center field to give the Falcons a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning.

    With the win, the Falcons now hold a three-game lead over El Camino with three games left in the regular season. The two teams will meet at El Camino on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m., before Cerritos finishes up with a home-and-home series with Mt. San Antonio on Thursday (road) and Friday (home).

    Not to be lost in the heroics of Blood, it was Sanchez who tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with his RBI single, while his RBI triple off the 410-sign in right-center field gave the Falcons a 2-1 lead in the eighth. The two combined to drive in all six of the runs on the day.

    El Camino was able to score their four runs in the ninth inning when Ramon Marquez doubled off Ortega to drive in two, while Dan Gleiberman laced an RBI single to center field. His hit tied the game, but Pesante overran the ball, which allowed Billy Madden, who walked, to score the go-ahead run.

    Although he allowed three runs (two earned) in his 2/3 innings of work, Ortega (11-3) picked up the win. He is also scheduled to start Tuesday’s game, as is Moen, the loser on the day. Sophomore starting pitcher Miguel Flores (St. John Bosco HS) struggled with his control early in the game, as he walked three batters in the first inning alone. But he settled down and ended up pitching 5 1/3 innings and allowed one run, while striking out six and walking five. Freshman Jay Heirigs (Rocklin HS) came in and did a magnificent job in his 2 2/3 innings of relief. He limited the Warrrios to two walks and he did not allow a hit.