Sophomore pitcher Noah Andrunas (Gahr HS/UC Riverside) pitched seven solid innings to lead the Cerritos College baseball team to a 12-1 South Coast Conference win over Compton College on Thursday. With his win, Andrunas becomes the first pitcher in the state to win six games, as he improved to 6-0 on the year. Cerritos (13-2, 2-0) looks to close out the three-game series with a sweep, as they take on the Tartars (3-10, 3-2) at noon on Saturday.

The Falcons opened a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on just one hit. With one out, sophomore outfielders Diego Orozco (Long Beach Wilson HS) and Evan Saito (Torrance HS) drew walks, which set the table for freshman designated hittier Brody Cuellar (Bishop Montgomery HS). He laced a 3-1 pitch into the right-center gap, which drove in both runners, while Cuellar advanced to third base on the throw. That allowed him to come home on a ground out by freshman first baseman Wyatt Ormonde (Long Beach Millikan HS) for the third run of the inning.

Andrunas was victimized by his errant pick-off throw to second base after Ian Wilson led off with a single and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Ezekeil Cornett followed with an infield out that allowed the unearned run to score. Andrunas scattered five hits over his seven innings and struck out seven batters. The Tartars had runners on first and second with one out in the fifth inning, but Andrunas worked out of the inning without any damage. Freshman Troy Sonoqui (Long Beach Millikan HS) and AJ Gonzalez (Gahr HS) each pitched an inning, with Gonzalez striking out the side in the ninth inning.

Four more runs came on the board in the fourth inning, thanks in part to a pair of Compton errors. Sophomore second baseman Dylan Immel (El Segundo HS) led off with a double, moved to third on a passed ball and scored in an infield out by freshman third baseman Mateo Heredia (El Segundo HS). After sophomore catcher Nate Gardenswartz (Long Beach Wilson HS) drew a walk, the Falcons received a walk to freshman shortstop Fabian Ochoa (Warren HS) by relief pitcher Phillip Malgoza. Freshman outfielder Owen Martin (Narbonne HS) beat the throw at first base on a fielder's choice and advanced to second base when the throw got away from first baseman Landyn Thomas. Orozco drew his third straight walk, while he and Martin pulled off a double steal before Saito drove in a run on an infield single, with the throw skipping away, which allowed Orozco to score.

Facing three more pitchers in the sixth inning, Ochoa led off with a walk, while Martin was walked. The bases were loaded after Saito was hit by a pitch, which allowed Cuellar to collect an RBI when he was walked, as it forced in a run. Ormonde followed by doubling home two more runs before Heredia plated a run with a sacrifice fly.

Ormonde ended the day with three more RBI, while Orozco increased his state lead in walks with 27 after he added three more free passes. Cuellar also drove in three runs and reach base twice, with Heredia driving in a pair.

Photos by Daryl Peterson