Baseball: Records fall in 32-2 win over Compton

File Photo: Fabian Ochoa went 4-for-6 with five RBI against Compton
File Photo: Fabian Ochoa went 4-for-6 with five RBI against Compton

In the history of Cerritos College baseball, the program has scored 30 runs three times. Ironically enough, all three times have been against Compton College. On Saturday, the Falcons posted a 32-2 win over the Tartars, which resulted in two school records. It was the most runs scored by a Cerritos team, while the seven home runs they hit were also the most ever in a game. The previous runs record came in 1984 in a 31-6, 7-inning win over Compton, while the old record for home runs was six against El Camino in 1989. The Falcons (14-2, 3-0), winners of eight in a row, will start a three-game series against Pasadena City College (10-4, 5-1), with the first game set for 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday at Kincaid Field.

Leading just 1-0 after the first two innings, Cerritos put four runs on the board in each of the third and fourth innings before posting nine more runs in the fifth inning. They scored their final 10 runs in the last two innings of the game.

In the top of the third inning, freshman outfielder Owen Martin (Narbonne HS) reached base on a fielder's choice before Diego Orozco (Long Beach Wilson HS) drew a walk. The two pulled off a double steal before sophomore outfielder Evan Saito (Torrance HS) singled home the first run. Freshman designated hitter Brody Cuellar (Bishop Montgomery HS) then doubled home two more runs, with sophomore second baseman Dylan Immel (El Segundo HS) driving in a run with a base hit.

The Falcons hit three of their home runs in the fourth inning, with sophomore catcher Daniel Cuadras (Warren HS/Golden West College) leading off with a solo shot. With one out, Martin clubbed a solo home run, while Cuellar launched a two-run bomb three hitters later. The team received consecutive RBI singles in the fifth inning from freshman shortstop Fabian Ochoa (Warren HS), Orozco, Saito and Cuellar before freshman first baseman Wyatt Ormonde (Long Beach Millikan HS) drew a bases loaded walk. After an RBI on a ground out by Immel, freshman third baseman Mateo Heredia (El Segundo HS) added a two-run single before Ochoa picked up his second RBI of the inning to close out the scoring in the stanza.

Sophomore starting pitcher Derek Valdez (Los Alamitos HS) became the second Falcon pitcher to improve to 6-0 on the season after he tossed five shutout innings and struck out three batters. The duo of sophomore Daniel Saenz (Warren HS) and freshman Troy Sonoqui (Long Beach Millikan HS) each tossed an inning, with freshman Nicholas Moreno (Katella HS) throwing the final two innings and recorded four strikeouts.

Three more solo home runs highlighted the sixth inning, as Ormande hit a round-tripper after Cuellar drove home Saito with a sacrifice fly. Heredia and Cuadras launched back-to-back home runs, while freshman Tiery Smith (Los Alamitos HS) picked up his first hit of the season with a two-run home run in the eighth inning. It came right after sophomore outfielder Isaiah Rios (St. John Bosco HS) tripled home a pair of runs. Ochoa also had a bases loaded triple in the ninth inning.

By the end of the game, 12 different players drove in at least one run, led by Cuellar who knocked in six runs on three hits, with Ochoa driving in five runs after going 4-for-6 at the plate and scored three times. Saito went 4-for-5 and scored four times, while Cuadras was 3-for-5 with three runs scored and his two home runs. Martin also scored four runs and drew three walks.