Falcons eliminate Sac City with playoff sweep

Relying on superb pitching in game 1 and a relentless hitting attack in game 2, the Folsom Lake College baseball team quieted the home crowd at Sacramento City College's Union Stadium with a weekend sweep of the Panthers in the opening round of the CCCAA playoffs.  The 14^th seeded Falcons were supposed to be no match for the #3 seeded Panthers, but seemed to thrive in the underdog role.  Sophomore starting pitcher Will Felton was certainly not intimidated as he saved his best game of the season for Friday night.  Felton had a perfect game (no hits, no base runners allowed) going into the 7^th inning, when, with one out, Panther centerfielder Austin Chastain leaned into a two-strike breaking ball to become the Panthers' first baserunner.  One out later, the no-hitter and shutout vanished when a slicing fly ball down the line landed just out of right fielder Tyler Kaim's diving reach for a triple, cutting the Falcon's lead to 2-1.  The Falcons had earlier scored two runs in the fifth inning on Kaim's leadoff home run and Greg Vaughn's RBI single, which scored Charley Harber.  Reliever Jason Wullenwaber worked out of a jam in the 8^th  (thanks to some poor baserunning by the Panthers) to preserve the lead.   Mason Allen's lead-off double in the ninth inning provided an insurance run for the Falcons, as he eventually scored on Kale Leach's groundout to make it 3-1.  After two Panthers reached base in the bottom of the 9^th, closer Zach Reid came in to record the final two outs for the Falcon win.

Saturday was a completely different type of game, as both teams battered the other's pitching staff.  A total of 20 runs were scored on 31 hits as the Falcons pulled away in the late innings to win 12-8.  Centerfielder Mike Majeski was the offensive star for the Falcons with three hits, including a first inning leadoff home run, and three runs scored.  Five Falcons had two runs batted in each; Majeski, Joey Smith, Nick Schumacher, Nicola Mislinski, and Greg Vaughn.  Jason Wullenwaber made his second pitching appearance of the weekend and shut out the Panthers over the final 3-1/3 innings, allowing just two hits while recording five strikeouts.

The Falcons will take on #1 seed Santa Rosa this coming weekend in round two of the playoffs, another best-of-three series starting Friday at 2:00 pm in Santa Rosa.  Game 2 will be Saturday at 1:00 pm, and game 3 (if necessary) would be Sunday at noon.