Last season, the Cerritos College softball team was seeded #4 for the Southern California Regional Playoffs and opened the post-season with a 9-2 loss to Bakersfield College. The Falcons came back to win the next two games to advance to the Super Regional. If they are to reach the next round this year, they will have to defeated #14-seeded Southwestern College twice on Sunday after losing, 5-4 on Saturday at Nancy Kelly Field. The second game of the best-of three-series is scheduled for noon, with a third game to be played 30 minutes at the conclusion of the second game, if necessary.

The Falcons (29-9), seeded #3 for the playoffs, trailed 5-1 before scoring single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to get within striking distance and ended up leaving 11 runners on base, with seven of them in scoring position. The Panthers (26-12) opened a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a two-out, two-run home run by  Alex Gallegs off freshman starting pitcher Lily Cornejo (Paramount HS). It was a 3-1 game before a two-out fielding error by sophomore shortstop Briana Quintana (Mayfair HS) opened the door for a pair of runs and the 5-1 deficit.

Cerritos slowly worked their way back into the game with sophomore second baseman Alexxa Sanabria (Palm Springs HS) driving in freshman first baseman Shelby Blair (Lakewood HS) before freshman pinch-hitter Julia Mendoza (Los Altos HS) struck out with runners at second and third base. Blair was playing her first game of the year at first base due to the injury to freshman Andrea Arellano (Downey HS). In the sixth inning, sophomore outfielder Lauren Castrellon (Downey HS) scored from third base on a wild pitch after reaching base when Southwestern first baseman Brian Albrektson dropped the throw that would have been the second out of the inning. However, sophomore designated player Jackie Flores (California HS) flied out to end the inning with runners at second and third base.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Quintana singled to left field and moved to second base when the ball rolled through the legs of Michelle Centrullo. Sophomore outfielder Courtney Priddie (Long Beach Poly HS) singled home Quintana and advanced to second base on the throw to the plate. But freshman catcher Ally Catania (Pacifica HS) and sophomore outfielder Maiya Tallakson (Redondo Union HS) could not bring home the tying run.

The trio of Monica Armas, Alex Ross and winning pitcher Gabrielle Beasley (12-4) all had a pair of hits for the Jaguars, while Blair led the Falcons with three hits. Cornejo took the loss after allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits.