Comets leave Mesa farther behind with 9-1 win
SAN DIEGO (4/17/2024) – Returning to the road for the first of four straight away games as the regular season winds down, the Palomar College softball team rolled to a 9-1 victory Wednesday at San Diego Mesa, completing a three-game season sweep of the Olympians.
With the victory in its penultimate Pacific Coast Athletic Conference game, the 10-time defending PCAC champs improved to 31-3 overall and 11-0 in conference play, giving the Comets a 4½-game lead over second-place Mesa (16-15, 6-4).
Palomar, ranked No. 5 in the latest 3C2A state coaches poll, was held scoreless for two innings against Mesa before scoring at least one run in each of the next five innings. Singles by freshman second baseman Josephine Heuberger and sophomore right fielder Faith Steffany preceded a two-out, two-run single by freshman designated player Isabella De Filippis which gave the visitors a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
Sophomore shortstop Tess Altevers-Harris drew a leadoff walk to start the fourth and eventually came around to score on a passed ball. Sophomore pitcher Guilianna "Gigi" Clavel singled to lead off the fifth, and after sophomore Sara Vega came in to pinch run, she scored on an infield sacrifice fly by Heuberger.
The Comets added three runs in the sixth with the help of a leadoff walk to freshman catcher Kayla Visser, a single by freshman first baseman Breanna Lutz, two Mesa errors and a wild pitch. Altevers-Harris scored Palomar's final run in the seventh inning when she hit a leadoff single, stole second base, advanced to third on an error and scored on a single by sophomore center fielder Maddie Scott.
Lutz, who hit two home runs in Palomar's previous game against No. 4 Mt. San Antonio, was 3-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and a single to lead Palomar's 13-hit attack against the Olympians. Altevers-Harris, De Filippis and Scott had two hits apiece.
Clavel started in the circle and pitched five scoreless innings for her 21st win of the season against three losses. She allowed three hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Freshman Nevaeh Haywood pitched the final two innings in relief, allowing one run on three hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
The Comets travel to Santa Clarita on Saturday for a nonconference doubleheader at College of the Canyons with Game 1 beginning at 1 p.m. Palomar closes out conference play April 23 at San Diego City at 3 p.m. before hosting a pair of non-conference rain make-up games on April 24 against No. 1 Fullerton at 2:30 p.m. and April 25 against No. 18 Cerritos at 2 p.m.
The 3C2A playoffs begin May 3 with the Southern California Regionals, and the eight-team state tournament is slated for May 16-19 at West Valley College.