Steffany's no-hitter wraps up regular season

SAN MARCOS, CA (4/26/2022) -- No. 4 Palomar showcased their defensive prowess as sophomore Farrah Steffany (13-3) pitched a no-hitter in an 8-0 five-inning victory over College of the Desert on Tuesday afternoon. 

Throwing a perfect game through three innings, Steffany walked a Desert batter, but she wasn't going to let it rattle her. 

"When I caught the ball I had to turn around and look at Mal [Malachy Russell-Millen] and she told me to stop playing and go to work and it help calm me down and get back in the zone," Steffany said. Steffany got the next batter to chase for the strikeout and got the no-hitter back on track. The next one grounded out and the last out came on a groundout back to Steffany. In addition to recording three strikeouts, Steffany also recorded five putouts. Behind her, Russell-Millen recorded five putouts, including the final two outs to ensure the no-hitter.

"I feel relieved," Steffany said of her second no-hitter this season. "I really needed this and I did it for my teammates."

After the final out was recorded, Steffany immediately went up to Hannah Beyer and Russell-Millen for high-fives and hugs serving as a reminder today's victory was a team effort. 

On the offensive side of things, Alexia Terrazas recorded home run number five as she hit a 2-run bomb in the bottom of the first for the first two runs for the Comets. Three doubles in the second by Allyson Amato, Terrazas, and Kelly Nutter added five more runs. Coming in clutch all season long, Taylor Harrison made sure to double in the bottom of the fourth to bring in the eighth Comet run.

As Palomar wraps up their season, head coach Lacey Craft and her staff have been preparing for the postseason all season and have always envisioned the end goal of making it back to the CCCAA State Championship. 

"We've been playing multiple games a week and schedule one of the toughest schedules in the state every year, which will benefit the team the end," Craft said. "We need to play tough games, face tough pitching, and compete at a high-level day in and day out to keep developing into a tough team that will be prepared to compete for a state championship at the end of the season."

Palomar wraps up their regular season with a 31-7 record and will wait until Saturday to see where they are seeded for the playoffs.