Folsom Lake Falcons Battle Hard in Challenging Road Trip
The Folsom Lake College softball team faced a challenging weekend on the road, dropping all three of their matchups against College of San Mateo and San Jose City College. Despite showing resilience, the Falcons struggled to generate offense against strong pitching performances from their opponents.
Game 1: San Mateo Dominates in Five Innings
On Friday, the Falcons traveled to take on the College of San Mateo Bulldogs, who wasted no time asserting their dominance. San Mateo plated three runs in the first inning and never looked back, securing a 12-0 victory in just five innings. Folsom Lake managed only three hits, with Arianna Tatupu, Melia Ritchie, and Madison Shirey each recording a single. On the mound, Marianna Prieto (0-3) took the loss, allowing eight runs on ten hits in three innings of work.
San Mateo's offense was relentless, racking up 14 hits, including a few home runs. The Bulldogs' pitching staff shut down the Falcons, with two scoreless innings.
Game 2: Falcons Fall Short Against San Jose
Folsom Lake opened their Saturday doubleheader against the San Jose City College Jaguars, putting up a strong defensive effort early. The Falcons struck first in the second inning, thanks to a solo home run from Hailey Permenter. However, San Jose responded in the fifth, capitalizing on defensive miscues by Folsom Lake to score four runs and take control of the game. The Falcons were unable to answer, falling 4-1.
Despite the loss, Prieto delivered a solid performance in the circle, allowing just two earned runs on four hits over six innings. Unfortunately, Folsom Lake's offense was limited to just three hits, making it difficult to mount a comeback.
Game 3: Jaguars Complete Sweep
The second game of the doubleheader saw another tough outing for the Falcons, as they struggled against San Jose's pitching in a 7-1 defeat. The Jaguars jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning and continued to apply pressure throughout the game, tallying 12 hits.
Folsom Lake's lone run came in the sixth inning, when Prieto drove in Grace Diaz on a sacrifice fly. However, the Falcons managed only one hit in the game, a late single from Abigail Love. Defensively, errors continued to be an issue, with three miscues allowing San Jose to capitalize on additional scoring opportunities.
On the mound, Liliana Dzul Nunez started for the Falcons, giving up four runs (two earned) in two innings. Prieto, who pitched the final three frames, took the loss despite allowing just one run.
Looking Ahead
The Falcons will look to regroup and find their rhythm with more games to be played on the road. With a young team still developing, Folsom Lake remains determined to turn things around and secure their first victory of the season.