Baseball: Late-inning home run leads Falcons to win

File Photo: Ryan Skjonsby clubbed a two-run home run in the 12th inning to lead the Falcons to a win over LA Harbor
File Photo: Ryan Skjonsby clubbed a two-run home run in the 12th inning to lead the Falcons to a win over LA Harbor

Rain has caused the Cerritos College baseball schedule to be adjusted on a regular basis. After a week-long delay since their last game, the Falcons needed 12 innings to post a 9-7 South Coast Conference win over host Los Angeles Harbor College on Thursday. The Falcons (6-12, 2-5) snapped a four-game winning streak and will come back on Friday for a 2:30 p.m. game against the same Seahawks (7-16, 3-7) team at Kincaid Field.

Trailing, 7-5 late in the game, Cerritos pushed across single runs in the eighth and ninth innings to send the game to extra innings. In the top of the 12th inning, sophomore designated hitter Andy Vega (Mary Star of the Sea HS) drew a leadoff walk, which was followed by a two-run home run from freshman first baseman Ryan Skjonsby (Long Beach Poly HS), his first round-tripper of the season.

Sophomore pitcher JJ Almeda (Warren HS), making his first relief appearance of the season, earned the win by pitching the final two innings and retired six of the seven batters he faced.

Down by a pair of runs heading into the eighth inning, freshman outfielder Miles Hughes (Carson HS) led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. Freshman third baseman Isaac Vega (Mary Star of the Sea HS) followed with a base hit, and when sophomore shortstop Julian Francois (Serra HS) drew a walk, the bases were loaded. Although Andy Vega hit into a double play, the lead runner was able to come home and score. With two outs in the ninth inning, sophomore third baseman Carlos Vega (Mary Star of the Sea HS/Los Angeles Harbor College) drew a walk, while freshman pinch-hitter Anthony Godfrey (Long Beach Millikan HS) was hit by a pitch. Hughes then stepped up and laced a single, which plated Carlos Vega, sending the game to extra innings.

Freshman starting pitcher Franky Lopez (Dominguez HS), who opened the day leading the state with a 0.00 ERA, surrendered his first runs of the season, as he allowed four runs on five hits in five innings of work. The big blow was a three-run home run in the second inning. The Falcons got the runs back on a three-run blast by Carlos Vega in the top of the sixth inning.

Skjonsby, Andy Vega and Isaac Vega each had a pair of hits, while Carlos Vega drove in four runs on the day.