No. 8 Palomar Bounces Back with 11-7 Victory Over Grossmont

EL CAJON, CA (3/28/2025) -- No. 8 Palomar College responded to Thursday's loss with an offensive outburst, defeating Grossmont College 11-7 in the series finale on Friday afternoon. The Comets used a combination of timely hitting and strong relief pitching to secure the win and claim the series victory.

Palomar found itself in an early hole, trailing 5-1 after the first inning. However, the Comets answered with three runs in the third to close the gap before taking the lead for good with a two-run sixth inning. They added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth to put the game out of reach.

Justin Tucker had another standout performance at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two doubles. Carter Jorissen added two hits, an RBI, and scored four times, while Christian Grino also drove in three runs. Joshua Pinnell contributed with a pinch-hit RBI single, and Adrian Macias knocked in a run as well.

On the mound, Joey Navarro (2-0) earned the win in relief, throwing five shutout innings, allowing just four hits while striking out four. Jacob Imoto and Lucas Smith combined to close out the game, with Smith earning his fourth save of the season.

With the victory, Palomar improves to 20-8 overall and 11-2 in PCAC play, maintaining its first-place standing in the conference. The Comets will shift their focus to a three-game series against San Diego Mesa College, beginning Tuesday afternoon.