On the heels of a season that ended earlier than
expected, the Cerritos College softball team has
announced that six of their seven sophomores
have received scholarships to four-year
universities. The Falcons, who were ranked #1 in
the state heading into the Southern California
Regional Playoffs, were upset in the Super
Regional and finished the season with a 39-6
record. The combined record for the two years of
the sophomores was 80-17-1 and included
two South Coast Conference championships and a
slew of post-season accolades.
Those that have signed include catcher
Samantha Vaaulu (Lubbock Christian (TX)
University), pitcher Hillary
Perez-Ashley (West Virginia Wesleyan
University), second baseman Lindsey
Marquez (Utah State University), first
baseman Ashley Ventura (Utah
State University), outfielder Devin Salmones
(University of California, East Bay) and
shortstop Cassandra Godoy, who
will go to Utah State University at the
conclusion of the summer session.
Vaaulu, who was named the Diamond Sports Catcher of the Year,
1st Team All-American, 1st Team All-State and
1st Team All-South Coast Conference her freshman
year after setting single-season school records
in home runs (20) and RBI (71) while hitting at
a .454 clip. Although her numbers dropped off a
bit her sophomore year (.352, 17 HR, 55 RBI),
she leaves with the school record in all power
hitting categories. Vaaulu joins a Lubbock
Christian team that went 54-7 last year and
advanced to the NAIA National Tournament for the
fourth year in a row.
As for Perez-Ashley, she became the first Cerritos pitcher to
be named the state's Pitcher of the Year two
seasons in a row, as well as being selected 1st
Team All-American, Southern California Pitcher
of the Year and South Coast Conference Pitcher
of the Year both seasons. She had a remarkable
33-2 record with a 1.91 ERA and 120 strikeouts
as a sophomore after recording a 31-7 mark with
a 1.97 ERA her freshman campaign. This past
season, the Bobcats posted a 44-13 record that
included a berth in the Athletic region
Tournament, as well as the West Virginia
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular
season and tournament championship.
The trio going to Utah State were all 1st Team All-South
Coast Conference selections as sophomores, while
Godoy and Ventura were both All-State choices.
As a freshman, Marquez was named All-American
and All-State after batting .390 with 16
doubles, six home runs and 44 RBI. She followed
that by hitting at a .400 clip her sophomore
year with 12 home runs and 44 RBI, while leading
the team with 26 walks. Ventura was second on
the team with a .429 batting average her
sophomore year and added nine home runs and 47
RBI, while Godoy hit .396 to go along with 11
doubles, 32 RBI and 27 stolen bases. The three
will try and turn around an Aggie team that went
20-30 last season and lose six players to
graduation.
Salmones followed her .369 batting average with 10 doubles
and 29 RBI her freshman year by batting .355
with five home runs, 30 RBI and 20 walks to earn
1st Team All-SCC recognition. The Pioneers went
14-36 last year and look to bolster their
offensive production, as well as the great
defense Salmones displayed for two seasons with
the Falcons.
