With their
steady offense
continuing to
stay hot, the
Cerritos College
softball team
turned in a 5-2
victory over Mt.
San Antonio
College in the
championship
semi-final of
the California
Community
College Athletic
Association
Softball State
Championships at
Orange Terrace
Park in
Riverside on
Saturday night.
The win by the
Falcons (42-5)
advances them to
the state
championship
game on Sunday
at noon, where
they only need
to win one game
to secure their
second state
championship in
school history,
with the other
coming in 1978.
As for Mt. San
Antonio (37-16),
they will now
have to defeat
Sacramento City
College at 10:00
a.m. on
Sunday to
advance to the
championships
and face the
Falcons. Earlier
in the day,
Sacramento City
knocked out
top-seeded
Cypress, 1-0.
Last year, the
Falcons were
forced to defeat
Cypress in the
early game to
reach the
championships,
where they
forced a
winner-take-all
game against the
Mounties for the
state title.
This year, it is
Mt. SAC that
needs to win
three games on
Sunday to secure
their second
title in a row
and third in
four years.
In their win
over the
Mounties,
sophomore
pitcher
Jessica Navarro
(South Gate
HS)
surrendered a
first-inning
home run to
Francesca
Gonzales, but
limited the
Mounties to one
single and two
walks until the
sixth inning. By
then, the
Falcons had
opened a 5-1
lead. Navarro
worked out of a
jam in the
second inning,
as she got Kadie
Baldwin to pop
up to sophomore
shortstop
Jenel Guadagno
(Warren HS)
with the bases
loaded to end
the threat.
Before the pop
up, Randi
Baldwin hit into
a fielder's
choice, with
Navarro throwing
to sophomore
catcher
Nadine Garcia
(Mayfair HS)
for the force
out.
The Falcon
offense started
to generate
their power in
the top of the
third inning, as
Guadagno clubbed
a solo home run
with one out.
Then, in the
fourth inning,
freshman
outfielder
Jennifer Salas
(California
HS) led off
with a double to
right-center
field. After an
out was
recorded,
sophomore second
baseman
Vanezza Martin
Del Campo
(St. Joseph
HS) singled
home Salas with
the go-ahead
run.
For the third
inning in a row,
Cerritos was
able to score
against the
rotating
pitching tandem
of Mandy Pongs
and Shelaire
Rowell. Guadagno
walked in the
fifth inning
with one out and
advanced to
second base on a
single by
Navarro. Garcia
gave the Falcons
a 3-1 lead with
an RBI single,
followed by a
walk to Salas,
which loaded the
bases. It was a
5-1 lead after
sophomore first
baseman
Stephanie Lomeli
(Montebello
HS) drew a
walk. The final
run of the game
came in the
sixth inning
after sophomore
outfielder
Capree Williams
(Paramount
HS/Bethune
Cookman
University)
doubled with one
out and advanced
to third base on
a ground out.
She eventually
came home on an
run-scoring
single by
Navarro.
In the game,
Navarro picked
up the win in
the circle, as
she allowed four
hits and struck
out five, while
walking three.
At the plate,
Navarro was
3-for-4 with an
RBI and a run
scored, while
Guadagno
(2-for-3, 2
runs, RBI),
Williams
(2-for-4, run)
and Lomeli
(1-for-2, 2 RBI,
2 walks) all had
solid games.
