The Cerritos College softball team faces elimination after losing to Bakersfield College, 9-2 on Saturday in the first game of a best-of-three series in the first round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs.

Tom Jackson, Board of Trustee President and former coach Nancy Kelly were among many of the fans who came out to watch the match-up between the No. 4 seeded Falcons and the No. 13 seeded Renegades.

“I’m an avid softball and soccer fan. I come out to just about every game,” Jackson said.

Cerritos jumped on Bakersfield early after two homeruns in the first two innings by outfielder Matauaina I’aulualo and pitcher Gabriela Villarreal.

Bakersfield pitcher Jessica Simpson was replaced by pitcher Julie Estep in the bottom of the second inning and that seemed to be the turning point.

Bakersfield’s hitters began clicking in the third inning, picking apart Villarreal.

Despite having control in the first two innings, she began to struggle, giving up nine runs, 13 hits and three walks in 7.0 innings.

“I think we came out scared and not confident,” she said, “we just choked.”

While Villarreal had trouble throwing the ball, she went two-for-three on the day.

“If I can’t do it one way I might as well do it another,” she said.

Estep, who won the Western State Conference’s Pitcher of the Year award, shut down the Falcons’ offense and gave her team control of the game.

She only allowed two hits in her six innings in the circle.

Outfielder Danielle Ayler went two-for-four on the day and was confident that her team’s hitting will help them advance.

“Our hitting was key for us. On Sunday, we just have to score first and hold them the rest of the game,” she said.

Bakersfield head coach Sandi Taylor explained how her team overcame early-game jitters.

“I think we just had to settles in and relax. I think the whole excitement of the playoffs was what they were really anxious about. Once they realized where they were, they were good.”

Taylor says to close out Cerritos the team must stay hot.

“We have to keep everyone on fire. We did miss opportunities with runners in scoring positions but we just have to execute.

Game two on Sunday will begin at noon and should there be a third game, it will be at 2 p.m.

Sophomore Jessica Lozano, who won the South Coast Conference’s Pitcher of the Year award this season, is expected to get the start in game two.

She has recently struggled with a back injury.

“I think we didn’t play well as a team. Everyone was trying to do their own thing and we don’t win ball games like that.”

Lozano says she expects to prove why she was awarded the award.

“I’m really honored to get the award and I need to back it up. I just need to go in and do all that I can,” she said.