Falcons rally after shaky start, defeat Sierra 8-4 to clinch Big 8 title

A topsy-turvy week that included two Covid-forfeit wins over Sac City came down to a final rain make-up against Sierra College on Saturday at FLC.  Win, and the Falcons are Big 8 champions; lose, and they become Big 8 co-champs along with Delta.  With lefty starter Skylar Wells on the mound - state co-leader in wins with 10 - the Falcons had reason to feel good about their chances.  That optimism vanished as the Falcon defense committed two errors that led to three Sierra runs (two unearned) in the first two innings.  With the Wolverines up 3-0, the Falcon offense had seen enough and went to work, scoring two runs in the second and one in the third to tie the score. Meanwhile, Wells had settled down and was putting up zeros.  Falcon third baseman Logan Sutter broke the tie with a fifth inning solo homer to left and the Falcons never relenquished that lead.  Still nursing a narrow one-run lead, the Falcons exploded for four runs on six hits in the seventh inning to go ahead 8-3.   The outburst included RBi doubles by Sutter and Cole Tremain and an RBI single by catcher Jacob Elias.  Righty Gavin Ochoa relieved Wells in the seventh and blanked the Wolverines before running into control issues in the ninth.  He eventually gave way to closer Cole Tremain, who got the final two outs on a fly ball and a strikout, and the championship celebration was on!

The Big 8 title is the first in FLC baseball's seven year history.  They will enter the NorCal Regional playoffs as the #2 seed and are guaranteed to play at home throughout.  They will host a best of three series on Friday and Saturday against the winner (either West Valley, College of Sequoias, or Marin) of a regional play-in game on Tuesday.