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05.04.08 - Jennifer
Salas blasted a two-run home
run in the top of the fifth
inning to give Cerritos a 6-4
lead. Cerritos advances to the
Super Regional next weekend
with a 12-6 victory Sunday
afternoon. |
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More Photos |
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The Cerritos College softball team was
extended to extra innings on Sunday by
Chaffey College in the second game of a
best-of-three series in the first round
of the Southern California Regional
Playoffs. The #2-seeded Falcons, who
posted an 11-0, 5-inning win the day
before, saw the 15th-seeded
Panthers score two runs in the bottom of
the seventh inning to tie the game at
6-6. But, Cerritos displayed their
explosive hitting in the top of the
eighth inning, scoring six runs on four
hits (including a critical error by
Chaffey) and came away with a 12-6
victory. The win advanced the Falcons
(37-5) to the Super Regional at home
next Saturday and Sunday, while Chaffey
(27-20) ends their season. Cerritos will
now host #7-seeded Fullerton College
(35-16) in a best-of-three series in the
Super Regional starting next Saturday.
Game one is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.,
while the two teams will play at noon on
Sunday, with a third game to be played
at 2:00 p.m. if necessary. The Hornets
defeated Palomar College in three games
in the first round.
To start the game, the Falcon
coaching staff went with sophomore
pitcher
Korrin Soldan (Katella HS)
and her 14-0 record on the season, in
hopes of not having to use sophomore
pitcher
Jessica Navarro (South Gate
HS) in every post season game, as
they had to do last season. Navarro was
in the circle for the final 20 games
last year, which included 11 playoff
games. Soldan went the first two innings
before stepping aside for freshman
Liz Reveles (Mayfair HS),
who pitched the third inning. By then,
the score was knotted at 4-4 and
Cerritos head coach
Kodee Murray opted to insert
Navarro into the circle to start the
fourth inning.
The Falcons responded, as freshman
outfielder
Jennifer Salas (California HS)
blasted a two-run home run in the top of
the fifth inning for a 6-4 lead.
However, the Panthers finally got to
Navarro in the bottom of the seventh
inning and tied the game on RBI singles
from Corey Williams and Jessica DeLuna.
Williams, who was the losing pitcher on
the day, went 3-for-4 at the plate with
a home run and three RBI.
But in the eighth inning, sophomore
second baseman
Vanezza Martin Del Campo (St.
Joseph HS) opened with a base hit to
left field. Sophomore third baseman
Katie Colln (Mayfair HS)
then attempted to sacrifice Martin Del
Campo to second base with a bunt.
Chaffey first baseman Britni Baca
fielded the ball and threw low to
Marissa Lavendera, who was covering
first base and was charged with an
error. Then, freshman pinch-hitter
Desiree Miera (Downey HS)
drew a walk to load the bases. The first
run of the inning crossed the plate when
sophomore outfielder
Capree Williams (Paramount
HS/Bethune-Cookman University) was
walked. A wild pitch accounted for the
second run, while sophomore shortstop
Jenel Guadagno (Warren HS)
followed with an RBI single. Sophomore
catcher
Nadine Garcia (Mayfair HS)
gave the Falcons a 10-6 lead with a
sacrifice fly before Salas closed out
the scoring with another mammoth two-run
home run.
