Comets roll past IVC to remain unbeaten

IMPERIAL, CA. (3/15/2023) – One day after having a highly-anticipated matchup against No. 5-ranked Mt. San Antonio rained out for a second time this season, the top-ranked Palomar College softball team found a dry field in the desert on Wednesday. The result of a long road trip to Imperial Valley College was a 14-0 romp over IVC, keeping the Comets unbeaten at 15-0 overall and 3-0 in Pacific Coast Athletic Conference play. 

Palomar had its home game against Mt. SAC washed away on Tuesday, just as a road game against the Mounties was also rained out on Feb. 25. That contest has been rescheduled for March 25 in Walnut as part of a three-way with Santiago Canyon. 

Freshman pitcher Guilianna "Gigi" Clavel (Bonita Vista HS) started in the circle against Imperial Valley and pitched four shutout innings. She allowed a single to the leadoff batter in the first inning, but that was IVC's only hit of the contest. Clavel struck out four and gave up two walks for her fourth win of the season against no losses. 

Sophomore India Caldwell pitched one perfect inning of relief in the fifth with a pair of strikeouts. 

A two-run home run to center field by sophomore Aaliyah Rivas highlighted a four-run first inning for Palomar. The homer by Rivas, her team-leading seventh of the season, was sandwiched by RBI singles from sophomore first baseman Allyson Amato and sophomore catcher Ellison Hazlett. 

Amato led off the second inning with a double, advanced on a groundout by Rivas and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by sophomore second baseman Malachy Russell-Millen to give the visitors a 5-0 lead. 

In the fourth inning, a single by Amato, a walk to Rivas and an infield error on a grounder to shortstop by freshman pinch-hitter Sarah Vega (Hilltop HS) loaded the bases for freshman designated player Itzell De Los Rios, who connected for a grand-slam home run to center for her first round-tripper of the season. 

Palomar added five more runs in the fifth inning, all scoring after two outs were recorded. Freshman right fielder Mariah Diaz (San Marcos HS) and freshman first baseman Mariah Briceno (Mission Hills HS) both singled and Rivas followed with an RBI double to center. Vega provided an RBI single to left, and following a walk to De Los Rios, sophomore shortstop Elisa Hass drove in two runs with a single to center. An RBI single to center by Hazlett closed out the scoring for the Comets. 

Palomar has a PCAC double-header against San Diego City scheduled for Friday at Bradley Park, but those games have tentatively been re-scheduled for Monday, March 20, with the first game starting at 12 noon.