The baseball team fell victim to the same problems that plagued them the majority of this season, failing to get timely hitting and clutch pitching en route to a 6-1 loss against Folsom Lake College Friday in Folsom.

Although the Falcons (21-12 overall and 13-8 in the Bay Valley Conference) only had two more hits than the Comets (6-26 overall and 4-17 in the BVC) it was the eight runners stranded on base that would be the squad’s downfall.

“I scored the one run on a sacrifice fly. When I did get a hit, I stole second and third and still couldn’t make it home,” Comet third baseman Antonio Straughter (3 for 4 hitting) said. “Pitching was rough today and our defense wasn’t up to par. We have three games left and we still want to finish strong.”

FLC scored two runs in the first and continued to pile on the points throughout the game. The Falcons scored at least a run in all but three of the games’ innings.

If CCC is to finish strong they will have to undergo a full-scale turnaround before Thursday’s game at Solano Community College at 2:30 p.m.

There was an aura of apprehension as the bus left for Folsom amid news of a viral infection spreading across the Folsom campus.

It was determined to be foot, hand and mouth disease and deemed a non- issue for the visiting team.

“There were rumors of a neurological infection going around, but the athletic trainer up there said we were OK to play,” Comet coach Marvin Webb said.

The Falcons tallied four runs before CCC could even break the seal on its half of the scoreboard. FLC first baseman Nick Schumacher (3 for 4 hitting) singled in two runs in the first inning, followed by another run in the bottom of the third.

Folsom kept the scoring alive in the bottom of the fourth, scoring another run on an error by shortstop Lumus Russell (0 for 4 hitting).

“Based on how the season has gone, I just wanted to get on base early and get things started, but I ended up having a terrible game on offense and defense,” Russell said.

The shortstop has been nursing a badly injured pinky finger on his glove hand and is scheduled for surgery today.

Despite the severity of his injury, Russell never uses the pain as an excuse and rarely speaks of the impairment.

On a day when only five Comets hit the ball into fair territory, it was not until the top of the sixth inning that Comet back catcher Lawrence Duncan (1 for 2 hitting) netted a sacrifice fly to score Straughter for the squad’s one and only run.

“There was not a lot of offense out there today,” Comet second baseman Kevin Spence (1 for 1 hitting) said. “We weren’t taking advantage of good opportunities at the plate. With the long innings the heat became a factor.”

The Falcons scored two more runs effectively hijacking the Comets’ momentum and making it tougher for the squad to end on its much-desired high note.

“We definitely want to end (the season) on a high note and hopefully better than we started,” CCC outfielder Rome Watson said. “All we can do is play each game like it’s the last one and for some of us it is.”