SAN MARCOS — No. 2 Palomar Softball is heating up just in time for the playoffs, as they defeated the College of the Canyons in both games over the weekend.
This weekend also featured Alumni Day for Softball, where they held a ceremony before the first game for all former Comet softball players.
The Palomar Comets, now 35-3, matched up with the College of the Canyons, now 20-19, in their first showdown of the season
Game 1 – Palomar defeats Canyons 9-1
The Comets got hot early in the first inning when Lauren Doepping hit a line drive three-run home run to right field.
“I knew that I had to do what I had to do for my team, and I wasn’t trying for a home run, but that was the result,” Doepping said.
“It was really nice to see (Doepping) hit that line drive over the fence. That sparks the team and gets everyone excited and going,” Coach Lacey Craft said.
The momentum carried over to the second inning, where they scored three more runs on three singles and two outs.
After the second out, first baseman Alexis Huey brought in two runs on a single, and a few batters later, left fielder Taylor Armstrong brought in a run on a single.
“We had to do what we always do as a team, and compete, that was our game plan,” Lauren Doepping said.
On the defense side of the game for the Comets, Nevaeh Haywood got her 15th win of the season, as she struck out two batters in five innings, allowed five hits, and only one run.
“I just went in there with a clear mindset. Just be smooth, work on the spin, and that’s all you can do,” Haywood said.
The game ended with third baseman Breanna Lutz hitting a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth inning, and second baseman Josephine Heuberger hitting a single, bringing Lutz in to win the game on a run rule 9-1.
“Our team has developed into the mentality that we are the best when we attack early. We try to jump on them and not just score first, but score often,” Coach Craft said.
Game 2 – Palomar defeats Canyons 12-4
A slow start to the second game had the Comets up 2-1 after two innings. That quickly changed when the Comets found their rhythm and loaded the bases in the third inning.
Palomar was able to work the count and get another walk, which scored a run. On the next at bat, Breanna Lutz doubled, bringing in two runs and making it a 5-1 Comets lead.
“Just go hard, find something waist high, and drive it. Keeping everything up the middle was my game plan today,” said Lutz.
The Comets had an even bigger inning in the fourth, scoring five runs and going through the whole lineup. After a few outs, catcher Kayla Visser knocked in a run, which seemed to give the team extra motivation.
Shortstop Nalia Nuanez got her best hit of the day with bases loaded, bringing in a run. To end the inning, Lutz brought in two runs on a sharp single to right field, making it a 9-1 Comets lead.
Canyons started making a little comeback, scoring three in the fifth inning, but the Comets played great defense and got out of the inning.
“We scored some runs in the fourth inning, and then they answered back in the top of the fifth. That was a great learning experience for the playoffs,” Coach Craft said.
The game ended in the bottom of the fifth inning when Lutz hit a walk-off RBI single to bring the winning run home, and win 12-4 with another run rule against Canyons.
“I was really working on getting down on the ball and driving it into the ground. So my game plan was ground balls or liners all day,” said Lutz.
The Comet’s next game is a conference matchup against Grossmont at home to finish the regular season on Tuesday, April 22, at 3 p.m.
“Just go in there and do what we do best. Don’t underestimate them and play how we normally play,” Nevaeh Haywood said.
