After finishing the 2010-2011 season 14-22 overall, 11-13 in the Bay Valley Conference, Contra Costa College’s baseball team had high expectations entering the 2012 season.

The Comets, however, failed to reach the playoffs for the 19th consecutive season as the squad finished the year in fifth place in the BVC with a 15-21 overall record and 11-13 in  conference play.

Since taking over the team in 1996, coach Marvin Webb has not been able to lead CCC into postseason contention.

“We had a good year, but we also had a few character issues,” Webb said. “I told the team that the only thing that could stop us was ourselves and it showed in various ways this season.”

Despite losing key components from last season’s team, the Comets finished their preseason with a 4-6 record.

During conference play, CCC started well going 3-1 in the squad’s first four games, behind the strong pitching efforts of sophomore Matthias Westfall and solid hitting from sophomore outfielder Angelo Simmons.

Things began to fall apart for the Comets toward the middle of the season after their 7-4 loss against Solano Community College on March 20.

Webb removed Simmons, who led the Comets in batting average at .325, from the team due to insufficient academic performance.

After losing Simmons, the Comets lacked a consistent hitter as the team had a combined .269 batting average for the season with only five home runs.

Pitching also began to take a hit as the season progressed as duties fell heavily on Westfall and pitcher Dominic Quilici.

Lacking abilities in both hitting and pitching, the Comets lost the remaining six games of their schedule, leaving them out of playoff contention.

“We weren’t focused or dedicated as a team this season,” Westfall said. “We had enough talent to make the playoffs, but we didn’t do enough to (accomplish that).”