The Cerritos College softball team put together one of their most impressive performances in quite some time on Tuesday, as they defeated #1-ranked Mt. San Antonio College, 13-5 in a South Coast Conference game. The win by the Falcons, ranked #5 in Southern California, improved their record to 25-9-1 overall and 7-2 in the conference, while the Mounties are now 34-4 on the year and 9-1 in the SCC. Cerritos will now host Pasadena City College on Thursday at 3:00 p.m. in another conference game.
Leading the way for the Falcons in their win over the Mounties was freshman second baseman Vanezza Martin Del Campo (St. Joseph HS), who clubbed two home runs and drove in six runs. She got the team started with a two-run double in the top of the first inning and added an RBI single in the third inning, followed by a two-run home run in the fifth and then led off the seventh inning with a solo shot.
It was 5-0 before Mt. SAC would get on the board, but the Falcons responded with two runs in the next inning to go up, 7-1. The rout was on in the top of the seventh inning, as Cerritos scored six more times and led, 13-1, but the Mounties picked up four in the bottom of the inning to round out the scoring.
The Falcons got to Mt. SAC starter Mandy Pongs early on, as freshman catcher Nadine Garcia (Mayfair HS) reached on a fielder's choice in the top of the first, followed by base hit from freshman Stephanie Lomeli (Montebello HS). That set up Martin Del Campo, who drilled a 1-0 pitch into right-center field to drive home two runs. Cerritos took advantage of two Mt. SAC errors in the second inning to add another run. Freshman center fielder Amber Cardona (Schurr HS) reached on a fielder's choice after freshman outfielder Cecily Garcia (St. Joseph HS) reached on an error and advanced to second base on another error. That set up freshman shortstop Jenel Guadagno (Warren HS), who singled home Cardona.
It was a 4-0 lead in the third inning after freshman pitcher Jessica Navarro (South Gate HS) walked and eventually scored on an RBI single from Martin Del Campo. The Falcons went through four Mountie pitchers on the day, while they amassed 15 hits, with seven of them going for extra bases.
On the day, Martin Del Campo went 4-for-5 with six RBI, while Guadagno was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a stolen base. Navarro, who improved her record to 20-5, collected two hits and drove in two, as did Cardona.
