Big inning propels Palomar past Olympians

SAN MARCOS (3/10/2023) – Nursing a 1-0 lead as precipitation began to move in, Palomar College sent 17 batters to the plate in the bottom of the third inning and added a dozen runs on the scoreboard en route to a 13-1 win over San Diego Mesa on Friday. 

Freshman right fielder Faith Steffany (Rancho Buena Vista HS) ignited the 12-run outburst for the state's top-ranked team with a leadoff double to left field, and after the Comets batted around, Steffany connected again for her second two-bagger of the inning, this one to right field to drive in two runs. 

Also included in Palomar's most productive inning of the season were a pair of home runs. After Steffany scored the first run of the inning on a single by sophomore designated player Aaliyah Rivas, clean-up batter Malachy Russell-Millen unleashed a three-run homer to left-center field for a 5-0 Palomar lead. 

The Comets were not done. Two infield errors and four walks added fuel to the fire, which was also kept burning by a three-run home run to left-center by sophomore first baseman Allyson Amato. It was Amato who drove in the game's first run with a groundout to score Steffany following her leadoff triple in the first inning. 

Palomar's pitching staff took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, but an error on an infield pop-up and a double led to Mesa's only run before Clavel retired the next three batters to end the contest with a steady rain falling. 

Sophomore India Caldwell started and pitched three perfect innings for the win, her 11^th of the season. She struck out six of the nine batters she faced. Clavel pitched two innings, allowing one walk with four strikeouts. 

Steffany was 3-for-3 at the plate, all for extra bases, and Rivas and freshman third baseman Itzell De Los Rios had two hits apiece. 

"The biggest thing was to get the game in with the rain coming," said coach Lacey Craft, whose team improved its record to 14-0 overall and 2-0 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference. "We're already behind in our conference schedule." 

The two teams were able to begin the game 85 minutes ahead of the original 1 p.m. start time. The playing conditions were challenging at best for the final two innings. 

"It was good to see Gigi in relief with her two innings of work," Craft said. "She had to deal with the elements, and she was still hitting her spots and being effective." 

Palomar is scheduled to host No. 5 Mt. San Antonio College on Tuesday at Bradley Park. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m., weather permitting.