Bulldogs out, Vista, Oak Ridge advance

Folsom High's varsity baseball team's season came to an end on Wednesday in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. Folsom, the No. 6 seed in the Division I bracket hosting No. 11 Enochs, lost 4-3 in nine innings. Folsom starting pitcher David Engelken allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in the first inning and was magnificent from then on, as he threw seven innings and allowed only two more hits and finished the game with 10 strikeouts, as the game was tied at two after seven innings. Folsom scored one run in the fourth inning when Caden Heitmeyer led off the inning with an infield single and was replaced on the base paths by Evan Crawford moved to second on a groundout, third on a wild pitch and then scored on Michael Callahan's base hit. In the fifth inning, Folsom tied the game when Manny Orange walked, advanced to second on an infield hit by Gavin Tietz and then moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a sacrifice fly from Angelo Orozco. Folsom relief pitcher Alex Blount ran into some trouble in the top of the ninth inning. After getting the first out of the inning, Blount loaded the bases with a single, a walk and a hit batter. Blount then got a ground ball to first base, but Callahan's throw home was off the mark, allowing a run to score. Enochs then scored again later when Blount walked a run in. The Bulldogs came back in the bottom of the inning when Callahan walked and was pinch-run for by Devin Hodgins, who eventually scored on Jack Blinn's single. That's all the runs the Bulldogs would get. "It was a tough way to start a game (the game started more than an hour late because there were no umpires) and a tough way to end one," Folsom coach Sal Rivera said. "I'm proud of our boys for competing and trying to overcome things outside of our control after the rough first inning. "David Engelken settled in and the offense grinded its way back into the game. We had some chances late but couldn't get the timely hit." The Bulldogs finished the year with a 18-11 record. "The senior class has many things to be proud of, as the program has its most wins, hosted a playoff game, had its highest finish in league (tied for second) and made the playoffs two straight years for the first time since 2018-2019. The seniors left their mark on the program and were great leaders and our young guys learned how to compete at a high level." Vista del Lago, the No. 2 seed, ripped River Valley, 9-1 in their first round game. Ethan Rhee hit a solo home run, while Colton More had three hits, while Russell Snyder scored three runs. Jacoby Jones pitched five innings, while Carson Kocina threw the last two, as the pitchers combined to allow only one run on two hits. Vista will host seventh seeded El Capitan on Friday. Oak Ridge, the seventh seed, had an exciting walk-off 4-3 win over 10th-seeded Pleasant Grove. The Trojans scored one run in the first inning and added two more in the third to take a 3-0 lead before Pleasant Grove rallied to tie the score at three in the top of the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, Oak Ridge left fielder Hudson Vetter threw a runner out at the plate for the third out of the inning. In the bottom of the inning, Colton Keefer singled and Noah Tepley followed with a bunt single to put two runners on. Dylan Busalacchi then attempted a sacrifice bunt but the pitcher threw the ball away allowing Keefer to score to give the Trojans the walk-off win. Oak Ridge will travel to No. 2 seed McClatchy on Friday.