Facing one of the most potent offenses in the state, Cerritos College starting pitcher Noah Andrunas (Gahr HS/UC Riverside) limited Mt. San Antonio College just one run in a crucial 2-1 South Coast Conference win on Thursday at Kincaid Field. The Falcons (24-6, 11-3) look for the sweep over the Mounties (25-5, 12-2) on Saturday at noon in Walnut, as they sit one game out of a tie for first place. The one run scored by the Mounties was their lowest run output of the season.

Clinging to a 2-1 lead after the second inning, Andrunas (9-0) held off any Mt SAC ideas as scoring, as he worked out of several situations. He retired the state's leading hitter, Landon White on a ground out in the third inning with a runner in scoring position, while he kept the Mounties off the board in the eighth inning, as Ty Thomas lined out with the bases loaded for the final out.

But the biggest play came in the top of the ninth inning. Andrunas, who walked leadoff hitter Jackson Giacone, saw Cole Nachreiner follow with a single after showing bunt for the first three pitches. Noah Rodriguez followed by dropping a two-strike bunt down the third base line to load the bases with no outs.

Freshman AJ Gonzalez (Warren HS) came on in relief and got Bryan Bradshaw to foul out for the first out. That brought White to the plate, who entered the game batting .511 on the season. On a 2-2 pitch, White grounded into a game-ending double play, as he finished the day going 0-for-4 with an intentional walk. It marked just the second game all season White did not get a hit in a game.

Offensively, the Falcons scored single runs in the first and second inning. Sophomore outfielder Diego Orozco (Long Beach Wilson HS) singled with one out, and after freshman first baseman Wyatt Ormonde (Long Beach Millikan HS) was hit by a pitch, Cerritos had a pair of runners on base. Sophomore Isaiah Rios (St. John Bosco HS) then singled inside the left field line, with Orozco scoring. But on the play, Ormonde tried to score from first base and was called out at the plate on a very close play.

Freshman third baseman Mateo Heredia (El Segundo HS) drew a walk with one out in the second inning and came around to score on a throwing error by Rodriguez on an RBI single up the middle by freshman shortstop Lucas Scott (Long Beach Poly HS). After taking the cutoff throw, Rodriguez threw the ball away trying to get Heredia at third base.

Rios continued his hot hitting and went 3-for-4 at the plate and is now batting .531 in conference play, while Orozco was 2-for-2 and drew his state-leading 45th walk of the season.