Comets slide past Jags with ease

SAN MARCOS, CA (4/14/2023) -- Palomar College hosted Southwestern College in a rain makeup game on Friday and won 12-6 to advance to 27-5 on the season and 18-0 in conference play. 

The Jags struck first and jumped out a 4-0 lead as the Comets struggled to get any form of offense going. The Comets opened the floodgates in the fourth inning scoring eight runs on seven hits. Right fielder Jack Sanders got things going with a lead-off double. Center fielder Quincy Scott then flew out to advance Sanders to third. Designated hitter Carter Hain then doubled to score Sanders for the first run of the game for Palomar. Second baseman Noah Lazuka then worked a walk before the Jags met on the mound for a pitching change. It was a Comet double steal to move Hain and Lazuka into scoring position before third baseman Kyle Harvey had a 2-run single. First baseman Tanner Lappin then homered to left for his second round-tripper of the season and the Comets took a 5-4 lead. Catcher Derek Augenstein doubled and then left fielder Caden Szuba walked. With runners on first and second, Sanders hit a no-doubt bomb to centerfield for his 10th home run of the season and the Comets extended their lead to 8-4.

In the sixth inning, the Jags cut the lead to two, but the Comets weren't going to let that affect them. Augenstein reached first after striking out and reaching on a passed ball. He then advanced to second on another passed ball. Head coach Ben Adams had Justin Flannery enter as a pinch runner for Augenstein. Szuba then flew out to centerfield, but Flannery turned on the jets and went from second to home to tack on another run for the Comets. Scott then singled to get another baserunner. He advanced on an error by the centerfielder and advanced to third on a wild pitch. He then scored on yet another wild pitch to give the Comets a 10-6 lead. 

Palomar proved they can make adjustments with each at-bat this season and working through fatigue from an onslaught on regularly scheduled and makeup games they've been able to produce at the plate and in the field. The pitching staff did what was asked of them. Evan Langer started the game and went four innings and allowed four runs on five hits. Nick Crystal, Logan Herrera, Jack Kelley and Wyatt Hamro all went in as relief. Crystal and Herrera each went one inning and Kelley went two. Hamro closed out the game and allowed one hit in the ninth. 

The Comets will resume their series against Grossmont College on Saturday afternoon for the finale. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. in El Cajon.