It didn't take long for Mt. San Antonio College to get out to an early South Coast Conference lead against the Cerritos College baseball team on Saturday. The Mounties jumped on freshman starting pitcher Christian Smith (Garden Grove HS) in the bottom of the first inning and chased him after recording just one out. By the time sophomore Dalton Gervais (Rogers, WA HS/Grays Harbor, WA CC) came on finish the inning, it was a 5-0 deficit. Although the Falcons (6-9, 1-2) were able to tie the game at 8-8 in the seventh inning, Mt. SAC scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to hand Cerritos a 13-8 loss. The team will now start a three-game series against ECC Compton Center at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Compton.

Trailing 8-2 heading into the top of the seventh inning, the Falcons saw the first five batters in the inning reach base. Freshman shortstop Jacob Valdez (Katella HS) led off with a single, followed by a walk to freshman catcher Taylor Cavazos (La Habra HS) and a single from freshman outfielder Andrew Tapia (Bellflower HS) to load the bases. Sophomore second baseman Tyler Acevedo (Sunny Hills HS/Irvine Valley HS) drew a walk to put Cerritos on the board.

A single from freshman outfielder Joseph Rivera (Savanna HS) and a ground out from freshman outfielder Johnny Martinez (Katella HS) each brought in a run. After a walk to freshman designated hitter Jared Robinson (Bishop Amat HS) loaded the bases, freshman third baseman Hayden Stevens (Katella HS) fouled out to third base with Rivera coming home on the play. Mountie catcher Derek Goodwin was charged with an error on the play, and that was followed by a two-run single from freshman first baseman Michael Esparza (California HS).

However, Mt. San Antonio would respond when relief pitcher Spencer Long (La Habra HS) hit the first two batters in the eighth inning and was removed for sophomore Jared Gibson (Downey HS), who hit his first batter to load the bases. An error by Acevedo allowed a run to score, while consecutive singles brought home two more runs, while a bases loaded walk and another hit batter accounted for the final runs.

Photo by Daryl Peterson