Comets headed to Regional Finals

SAN MARCOS, CA (5/11/2024) -- The Palomar College baseball team defeated Mt. San Antonio College 12-7 to advance to their second 3C2A SoCal Regional Finals in three years.

After winning their first two games of the Super Regionals in dramatic extra-inning walk-off fashion, the Comets elected for small ball in their final game. Playing as the visiting team, the Comets took an early 1-0 lead after a sac fly by Colby Rafail scored Elijah Cook who got on via a double. Mt. SAC tied it up on a solo home run in their half the inning. The Mounties kept the pressure on and added two more runs in the second to make it 3-1. 

Palomar plated four runs in the fourth to take the lead. Ryan Rivera had a sac fly RBI to score Noah Lazuka, who had a lead-off walk. Patrick McLellan then reached on an error which scored Makana Olaso. Finally, Ian Halverson had a two-run RBI double to make it 5-3. The Comets added on three more in the fifth on two doubles by Olaso and Rivera and plated four more in the sixth. Elijah Cook had a one-out triple and then Lazuka worked a two-out walk. Olaso walked to load the bases before Anthony Pacino had a two-RBI single. After a quick pitching change by the Mounties, Rivera recorded his second double of the day to plate Pacino and Olaso. 

The Mounties responded in the bottom of the sixth with three runs and added on one more in the seventh before the Comet pitching staff silenced them. Eric Van Valkenburg pitched 5.2 innings and allowed six runs on nine hits and recorded two strikeouts. Holden Carpenter pitched one inning of hitless ball before Noah Waldeck was brought in to turn off the lights. In two innings he recorded three strikeouts, including the one looking to end the game.

Palomar advances to 35-9 on the season and will host the SoCal Regional Finals on Friday and Saturday against Santa Ana College in a best-of-three series. An if necessary game three will be played on Sunday.