Baseball: Falcons pound out 18 hits in 12-3 win

Andy Vega reached base three times and drove in a pair of runs in the Falcons win
Andy Vega reached base three times and drove in a pair of runs in the Falcons win

For the second time in as many days, the Cerritos College baseball team recorded a South Coast Conference win over Los Angeles Harbor College. On Friday, the Falcons (7-12, 3-5) slapped out a season-high 18 hits in a 12-3 victory. The team will go for the sweep on Saturday at noon at Kincaid Field against the Seahawks (7-17, 3-8).

With the game tied, 2-2, Cerritos scored six times in the bottom of the third inning to put some distance between themselves and LA Harbor. With one out, consecutive singles from freshman outfielder Nico Briones (Long Beach Millikan HS) and freshman first baseman Ryan Skjonsby (Long Beach Poly HS) put runners at first and second base. The two advanced a base on a wild pitch, with Briones coming home on a sacrifice fly by freshman outfielder Isaac Vega (Mary Star of the Sea HS). Sophomore outfielder Jason Givens (Santa Fe HS) was then hit by a pitch to load the bases before singles from freshman designated hitter Anthony Godfrey (Long Beach Millikan HS) and freshman catcher Nate Gardenswartz (Long Beach Wilson HS) each plated a run.

The inning stayed alive on an infield single from sophomore shortstop Julian Francois (Serra HS), with sophomore third baseman Carlos Vega (Mary Star of the Sea HS/Los Angeles Harbor College) keeping the inning alive with an RBI single. The final two runs came home on a two-run singe from sophomore second baseman Andy Vega (Mary Star of the Sea HS).

Sophomore starting pitcher Rene Galvan (Cathedral HS/Compton College) went the first three innings in a pitching staff day performance. He allowed two runs, while the remaining relief pitching of Keanu Rodriguez (Los Altos HS), Calix Armijo (Mary Star of the Sea HS), Joseph Cossette (Laguna Hills HS), Nolan Troxel (Servite HS) and Omar Rodarte (Firebaugh HS) combined to surrender one run on seven hits, with Cossette striking out all three batters in his one inning.

On the day, 14 different players collected at least one hit, with Francois (two RBI), Andy Vega (two RBI), Skjonsby and freshman shortstop AJ Gonzalez (Torrance HS) all recording a pair of hits.

Photos by Daryl Peterson