Falcons Fly Out of the Gate: Folsom Lake Baseball Sweeps Gavilan to Open 2026 Season
The Folsom Lake College Falcons opened the 2026 season in strong fashion, taking both games of a two-game set against the Gavilan College Rams on January 23–24. The Falcons showcased timely hitting, dominant pitching, and clean defense to secure a 3–2 win on Friday followed by a convincing 10–1 victory on Saturday.
Game 1 – Falcons 3, Gavilan 2 (January 23)
Opening Day delivered a classic pitchers' duel, with Folsom Lake using a deep bullpen and clutch offense to edge Gavilan. Connor Barth put together a monster performance, accounting for all three Falcon runs. Barth doubled in the fourth inning to open the scoring, singled home another run in the sixth, and then provided breathing room with a solo home run in the eighth.
On the mound, Folsom Lake pitching was locked in from the start. Jake McKowen tossed four scoreless innings, followed by Andrew Balentine, who struck out seven in three dominant frames without allowing a hit. AJ Cox worked a clean eighth before Colin Huston closed it out in the ninth, stranding the tying run after Gavilan plated two late runs.
The Falcons finished with six hits, none bigger than Barth's three-hit, three-RBI day, while the pitching staff combined for 14 strikeouts in the season opener.
Game 2 – Falcons 10, Gavilan 1 (January 24)
If Friday was about grit, Saturday was all about firepower. Folsom Lake exploded for five runs in the third inning and never looked back, cruising to a 10–1 win in front of a home crowd.
Trajan Rogowski sparked the offense, scoring three runs and swiping two bases, while the Falcons capitalized on pressure, patience, and situational hitting. Eight different players drove in runs, including Dylan Green, Asa Martinez, Connor Barth, John Handy, Cyrus Young, and George Shykowski. The Falcons used sacrifice flies, aggressive baserunning, and timely singles to apply constant pressure.
Pitching again set the tone. Keisen Hayden and Roland Madsen combined for seven no-hit innings with 12 strikeouts, and Gavin McClendon closed the game by allowing just one run while striking out five over the final two frames. Gavilan managed only two hits all afternoon as the Falcons' staff piled up 17 strikeouts.
Strong Start at The Lake
Across the two games, Folsom Lake outscored Gavilan 13–3, committed zero errors, and struck out 31 Rams hitters, sending a clear message in the opening weekend. With balanced offense, lockdown pitching, and early-season confidence, the Falcons begin 2026 at 2–0 and set the tone for what looks to be an exciting season at The Lake.