Facing host Palomar College in a best-of-3 Super Regional series, the Cerritos College softball team finds their backs against the wall after an 9-0, 5-inning loss on Friday. With the setback, the #6-seeded Falcons (31-11) must defeat the #3-seeded Comets (39-3) twice on Saturday to advance to the 3C2A State Championships for the second time in the last three seasons.

After surrendering a run to Palomar in the bottom of the first inning, Cerritos was able to stay within striking distance until their fateful fourth inning, where the Comets scored eight times.

The Falcons started off strong with sophomore catcher Vicky Najera (El Rancho HS) slapping out a single and sophomore outfielder Morgan Fontela (Long Beach Millikan HS) getting hit by a pitch with one out in the top of the first inning. However, the next two batters flied out to end the inning. They continued to put pressure on Palomar in the top of the second inning when freshman outfielder Savannah Gonzalez (Whittier HS) led off with a single and stole second base. She was sacrificed to third base by freshman first baseman Sienna Contreras (John Glenn HS), followed by freshman Carissa Amaya (El Rancho HS) getting hit by a pitch. But the team came up empty by the end of the inning.

The top of the third inning provided more opportunities for the Falcons to get on the board when Najera led off with a walk and Fontela was hit by another pitch to lead off the stanza. Sophomore shortstop Ayiana Cardenas (Walnut HS) was also hit by a pitch to load the bases until a double play ended another inning where Cerritos was turned away empty handed. 

Contreras led off the fourth inning with a double, but freshman pinch-runner Brianna Bailon (Schurr HS) was stranded at third base. It was in the bottom of the inning that Palomar finally got to freshman pitcher Tatyana Cortez (La Serna HS), which included a pair of two-run doubles and a three-run home run.