SAN MARCOS – Despite losing 11-2 to Riverside the day before, the Comets bounced back to hold their heavy-hitting opponents in check, securing a 5-2 win to split a two-game series.
Palomar wore all-pink uniforms during today’s game. This was in honor of women’s cancer awareness, a great cause for a disease that impacts so many, including Palomar’s baseball team.
“We had a coach who lost his wife about a year and a half ago,” Head Coach Ben Adams said. “It kinda gives a memorial to her in challenges and adversity and the things that are out there that we try to instill in our young men.”
A new addition graced the scoreboard in left field. A permanent, metal banner that reads “Bob Vetter Field.” This is in respect to the late head coach of Palomar’s baseball team who led the program to 542 wins and eight conference championships over his career.
“It’s a good honor for Bob. It’s super awesome. He built this field, he built this program and it’s nice to be able to honor him in that way,” Coach Adams said.
Gametime. Palomar was not distracted by their nine-run loss to Riverside the previous day. The Comets dug deep and took a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning, including two RBIs off of the bat of catcher Carter Jorissen.
“I kind of found that pattern. When I got a fastball in, I knew he was going to go something soft away, so I guess I started it up, and got that swing in,” Jorissen said.
The four runs in the fourth turned out to be enough to secure the win, but the other highlight came from the might of Palomar’s starting pitcher, Brandon Bollerer.
In game one, Riverside had 13 hits and 11 runs. Bollerer gave up only two hits and two runs and struck out eight batters over five innings. It was a monumental turnaround from game one.
“Most of it was just going out and not thinking, and throwing. Cause I know I have pretty good stuff,” Bollerer said.
Losing by nine weighs heavily on any team’s confidence, but the renewed energy of Palomar and the communication between Jorissen and the pitchers were key aspects in today’s win.
“Energy was up today, I think it was a lot better than yesterday, a lot more positive too. Everyone was here to compete. Come out and play, do our thing,” Bollerer said.
“I just wanted them to fill the zone as best as possible, like everyone on our staff is really good and we all have the ability to strike out as many guys as we want,” Jorissen said.
“Yesterday, we played a little uphill, we played a little passive and I think today we played a lot more aggressive and a lot more downhill,” Coach Adams said. “The message was just to enjoy what you’re doing, be aggressive, have fun. Take the game to the other person and compete.”
The win brings Palomar to an 8-5 record with divisional games beginning on Feb. 27 against Grossmont College.
For schedule information click here.
Key Stats:
Palomar:
Brandon Bollerer: (W): 5 IP, 2 ER, 8 K
Carter Jorissen: 2-3: 2 RBI, BB
Riverside:
Jake Valenzuela: (L): 3 IP, 1 ER, 4 R
