A five-run second inning proved to be the difference as Cerritos College rallied past Mt. San Antonio, 7-4, in South Coast Conference softball action on Thursday afternoon.

Trailing 3-0 after the Mounties struck for three runs in the top of the second, the Falcons responded with one of their most productive innings of the season. Cerritos sent 10 batters to the plate and capitalized on six walks and a hit-by-pitch to take control of the game.

Mt. SAC opened the scoring in the second inning on an RBI double from Isabella Aspeitia and a two-run single by Sarai Raygoza. But Cerritos quickly answered in the bottom half, beginning with an RBI walk by Isabella Najera that plated Tatyana Cortez. Chelsea Bomani followed after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring home another run. Amarie Encarnacion then drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game before Alyssa Avila gave Cerritos its first lead with another RBI walk. Bella Salas capped the inning with a sacrifice fly, putting the Falcons ahead, 5-3.

Cerritos added two more runs in the third inning when Avila delivered a clutch two-run single to center field, scoring Najera and Carissa Amaya to extend the lead to 7-3.

Cortez took care of the rest in the circle, improving to 24-5 on the season. The right-hander tossed a complete game, allowing six hits and four runs while striking out seven. During the game, Cortez surpassed the 200-strikeout mark for the season, making it the second consecutive year she has reached that milestone.

Offensively, Cerritos managed four hits but made the most of its opportunities with six walks and timely situational hitting. Avila led the way with three RBI, while Najera scored twice and drove in a run. Amaya also crossed the plate twice, and Salas and Bomani each contributed an RBI.