NORWALK, Calif. — The Cerritos College softball team used patience at the plate and a big middle innings surge to roll past Riverside, 10–2, on Tuesday afternoon.

Cerritos opened the scoring in the first inning as Alyssa Avila drew a bases-loaded walk to bring home Amarie Encarnacion. Riverside answered in the third when Aerin Anselmini drove in an unearned run on a fielder's choice to even the score at 1–1.

The Falcons quickly regained the lead in the bottom half of the third. Mia Star Miramontes singled up the middle to score Bella Salas, and Carissa Amaya followed with an RBI single through the left side to give Cerritos a 3–1 advantage. Riverside pulled within one in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Giselle Flores Morales, but that would be as close as the Tigers would get.

Cerritos broke the game open in the fifth inning, sending nine batters to the plate and scoring four runs. Amaya was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Riley Davison added an RBI single, Encarnacion lifted a sacrifice fly, and Marley Cortez capped the inning with an RBI double to push the lead to 7–2.

The Falcons added three more runs in the sixth to put the game out of reach. Tatyana Cortez ripped a two-run double to left-center, and Marley Cortez later drew a bases-loaded walk to close out the scoring.

In the circle, Miramontes earned the win, allowing just two runs—one earned—on two hits over four innings while striking out three. Cortez was dominant in relief, retiring all six batters she faced and striking out three to seal the victory.

Offensively, Marley Cortez went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI, and two walks, while Amaya drove in two runs. Tatyana Cortez finished with a double and two RBI, and Avila scored three runs as Cerritos improved to 1-1 with a strong all-around performance.

The Falcons are back in action tomorrow against Chaffey College, in another home game at Nancy Kelly Field.