With a chance to lock sole possession of the South Coast Conference title for the first time since 2003, the Cerritos College baseball team hit a speed bump on Tuesday, as they dropped a 5-2 decision to second place El Camino College. The Falcons, who were the SCC tri-champions last year, lead the Warriors by two games with two to play. Cerritos (27-14, 18-4) will now travel to Mt. San Antonio College on Thursday and then close out the regular season at home against the Mounties on Friday. As for El Camino (27-13, 16-6), they finish off their season against Compton College.

    The Falcons clinched at least a share of the title on Saturday with their thrilling 6-5 win over El Camino, and had sophomore John Ortega (Downey HS) on the mound on Tuesday. Although he was the winning pitcher on Saturday, Ortega surrendered three runs in the top of the ninth inning, while the Warrior starter, Kellen Moen, suffered the loss over the weekend.

    El Camino jumped on Ortega for single runs in the first two innings before Cerritos could counter with a run of their own in the next two innings. However, the Warriors tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning before adding an insurance run in the seventh to close out the scoring.

    The offense for Cerritos consisted of just four hits on the day against Moen, who struck out 13 batters. In the third inning, freshman third baseman Jared Olsen (Sonora HS) led off with a base hit and was then sacrificed to second by freshman catcher Mario Romero (Los Altos HS). After sophomore outfielder Anthony Topete (Norwalk HS) singled, he stole second base, with Olsen coming home on the throw to second.

    The team had a chance to pick up several runs in the fourth after freshman first baseman George Sanchez (Gahr HS) led off with a walk. Sophomore outfielder Trever Blood (La Mirada HS) then reached base on a throwing error by third baseman Bob Hosen, which out runners at second and third. After a out was recorded, freshman designated hitter AJ Rodriguez (Gahr HS) struck out, but the ball got away from the catcher, which allowed Sanchez to score and Blood to move to third base. Romero then flied out to end the inning.

    In the eighth inning, the Falcons missed out on another chance to cut their deficit after Sanchez walked and Blood singled with two outs. But freshman TD Estrada (La Serna HS) grounded out to end then inning.