Posted: Apr 01, 2025
Lutz sparks Comets past Griffins, 8-0
Grossmont
(5-16, 2-5)
0
Palomar
(25-2, 9-0)
8
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Grossmont | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
|
Palomar | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 13 | 0 |
SAN MARCOS, CA (4/1/2025) – Leadoff batter Breanna Lutz went 4-for-4 at the plate and scored the decisive game-ending run in the bottom of the fifth inning as Palomar College remained unbeaten in conference play with an 8-0 victory Tuesday over Grossmont.
The Pacific Coast Athletic Conference matchup was originally scheduled to be played at Grossmont College, but wet grounds there from the previous day's rain forced a switch of sites. The Comets will now visit the Griffins on April 16 in their next meeting.
Three Palomar pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout while the offense provided support with 13 hits, leading the Comets to their 25th win of the season against just two losses. At 9-0 in conference play, Palomar leads San Diego Mesa by 2½ games in the PCAC standings.
With Lutz setting the pace, the hosts extended their current win streak to 21 games while rising to the No. 1 ranking in the latest California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association state poll released Tuesday. The sophomore third baseman boosted her state-leading batting average to .587 with a double and three singles.
Lutz led off the bottom of the first inning with a single up the middle on the first pitch she saw. Her hit was quickly followed by a single by sophomore second baseman Josepine Heuberger, a run-scoring double to left field by sophomore first baseman Zoe Karam, a sacrifice fly to center by freshman designated player Lauren Doepping and an RBI triple down the right-field line by freshman right fielder Alexis Huey.
Freshman catcher Dominique Garcia added a single to score Huey as the hosts built an early 4-0 lead after one inning.
Freshman shortstop Nalia Nuanez was hit by a pitch to lead off the second inning, leading to two more Palomar runs. Singles by Lutz, Karam and Doepping all contributed to the rally, as did a run-scoring fielder's choice groundout by Huey.
Palomar padded its lead to 7-0 in the third when Karam coaxed a two-out, bases-loaded walk to score Nuanez.
After being blanked over the first three innings by Comets sophomore starting pitcher Nevaeh Haywood, the Griffins (5-16, 2-5) threatened in the top of the fourth against freshman relief pitcher Kiara Flaviani, loading the bases with two outs on two singles and a hit batter. Flaviani kept the shutout intact with a strikeout for the third out.
Freshman Hailey White pitched a scoreless top of the fifth inning, and the Comets wrapped up the mercy-run win in the bottom of the fifth when Lutz hit a one-out opposite-field double down the left-field line and came around to score on a two-out single to center by Karam. The game-ending hit for Karam was her second in as many games after hitting a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Comets a 10-6 triumph over Cypress in their previous outing.
Haywood improved her season record to 12-2. The right-hander allowed just one baserunner on a two-out single in the second inning and finished with four strikeouts.
Palomar hosts No. 4 Orange Coast for a 1 p.m. nonconference game April 2. The Comets will also be home April 4 for a nonconference three-way with El Camino (10 a.m.) and L.A. Mission (2 p.m.).