Hosting Allan Hancock College in the first of a three-game series, the Cerritos College baseball team posted a 3-2 win at Kincaid Field on Tuesday. The Falcons (9-2), winners of three in a row, will travel to Santa Maria for the next two games of the series, which will continue at 2:00 p.m. on Friday.

After spotting the Bulldogs (6-5) a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, Cerritos responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the stanza. Freshman outfielder Owen Martin (Narbonne HS) led off with a single, which was followed by a walk to sophomore outfielder Diego Orozco (Long Beach Wilson HS) and sophomore outfielder Evan Saito (Torrance HS) getting hit by a pitch to load the bases. Freshman designated hitter Brody Cuellar (Bishop Montgomery HS) brought home the first run with a single, while an infield out by sophomore second baseman Dylan Immel (El Segundo HS) plated the second run.

Freshman starting pitcher Nolan Patterson (Long Beach Millikan HS) settled down after the first inning run and retired 12 batters in a row before a two-out single by Shane Heriford snapped that streak. Patterson (1-1) worked out of a jam in the seven inning with Cerritos leading, 3-1. A leadoff double by Owen Bolich was followed by a single from Richie Robles. After Patterson struck out Isaac Imamura, a fielder's choice cut down Bolich at the plate, which was followed by a fly out the end the threat with the Bulldogs unable to score.

The run scored by the Falcons in the fifth inning turned out to be the game-winning run. Consecutive walks to Martin and Orozco (his third of the game) opened the door for Cuellar to drive in a run on a sacrifice fly.

Allan Hancock closed the lead to 3-2 off sophomore relief pitcher Holden Hungerford (Warren HS/Cal State Los Angeles) in the eighth inning. With the bases loaded, Hungerford struck out Robles and then got Imamura to ground out to third base, with freshman defensive replacement CJ Berthon (Los Alamitos HS) making a nice dig at first base for the out.

Another defensive replacement would come into play for Cerritos in the top of the ninth inning. Hungerford, who earned his second save of the season, allowed a leadoff walk and bunt single in the ninth. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to second and third base. Colin Johnson then sent a fly ball to right field, where sophomore Isaiah Rios (St. John Bosco HS) fired a one-hopper to the plate, which prevented the tying run to score. Hungerford then got Josue Garcia to hit back to the mound for the final out of the game.

Martin reached base three times and scored twice, while Orozco also reach three times and Cuellar drove in two of the team's runs.

Photos by Daryl Peterson