SAN MARCOS– Palomar was the favorite to win in the first round of the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) baseball championship, but their underdog opponents, Pasadena City, put up a fight.

Palomar (30-10) finished the regular season with accolades such as a conference championship and a third-place ranking in the SoCal region of the 3C2A. Pasadena City (21-16) took home no such awards and placed 22nd overall.

But the postseason presents a blank slate. Regular-season accomplishments mean nothing in the playoffs; they’re a battle of ambition and skill. The Comets and Lancers faced off on May 2 and 3 with nothing but passion and a desire to win.

Game 1 – Pasadena City 6 – Palomar 4

Friday was the Comets’ first playoff game against Pasadena City College. Pasadena was the first on the board when Joaquin Salcedo hit a home run against starting pitcher Joey Navvaro in the top of the first inning.

The Comets made a quick comeback in the bottom of the second inning, scoring two runs with Justin Tucker hitting a single, and Drake Cobb also hit an RBI single to bring Tucker in.

“It helped me with my confidence going to my next at-bats and just went out there trying to do my best,” Cobb said.

Drake Cobb shined at the plate and in the field defensively as a first baseman.

“It’s very important, getting those outs, and you have to make the play… I’m just glad I was there,” Cobb said.

The Comets were in the lead for four innings, keeping the score 2-1. However, in the fifth inning, the Lancers got seven hits and five runs, making the Comets feel very emotional.

“I really had to take a second to breathe and just control my emotions… He [the home plate umpire] was in the same zone all day, so I should have been used to it, it was like torture,” Navarro said.

Starting pitcher Joey Navarro got four strikeouts, two walks, and five runs in five innings pitched.

“In the playoffs, it’s usually those who play with less emotion and less heart rate and just play more calmly who usually come out on top. I think today, we’ve got a little sped up tomorrow. Hopefully, we can come out, and we’re not quite so sped up, but life will be good,” Head coach Ben Adams said.

Game 2 – Palomar 7 – Pasadena City 4

After falling behind 0-1 in the best-of-three series, Palomar needed to win both of Saturday’s double-header matchups to advance.

“Today, the loser goes home,” Adams said. “It’s kind of got us more excited, there’s a lot more energy.”

Comets starting pitcher Ian Mowad’s intensity on the mound carried over to Palomar’s offense. Mowad struck out five Lancers over five innings, while the Comets put up six total runs in that span.

“If they see me out there competing, just bringing that energy to the dugout obviously works,” Mowad said. “The guys were riled up, they were hitting, they were just phenomenal.”

Pasadena was still an offensive threat, as seen in game one when they put up five runs in a single inning, and they threatened again in game two. In the sixth inning, Jacob Imoto relieved Mowad. Palomar had a 6-2 lead, but the bases were loaded with no outs. Imoto struck out the first two batters and limited the damage to only two runs.

“It was super important to limit that inning, you know, I feel like it was a momentum shift for the team,” Imoto said.

The Lancers failed to score again after the sixth inning. Stunning defensive plays, like second baseman Jordan Treadwell’s double-play in the eighth inning, spurred the Comets to a 7-4 victory in game two.

“He hit it, and through my peripheral vision, I saw him leading off a bit. So I said, Might as well give it a chance and threw it over there. Luckily, Drake [Cobb] was over there to get the out,” Treadwell said. “I’m giving myself and my team a chance today, and things fell in the right spot.”

Game 3 – Pasadena City 7 – Palomar 12

It was win or go home, and tensions were high, causing Palomar to commit several errors, which led to four runs by the Lancers in the first three innings.

“I think the group was a little sped up and somewhat out of control, which led to the high number of errors,” Head Coach Ben Adams said.

Defensive faults aside, the Comets’ offense battled with intensity and was the deciding factor in their victory. In the fourth inning, third baseman Adrian Macias hit a three-run home run that put Palomar up 9-4.

“We were hitting the ball hard all day, and they just couldn’t get out, but I did some damage at the right time,” Macias said.

First baseman Drake Cobb dominated at the plate. He hit 3-3 with three RBIs and scored twice, spearheading the Comets into the second round of the 3C2A baseball championship with a 12-7 win.

“Just put all my faith in God and go out there and do the best I can. He gave me the ability to come out here and play today, and I’m just thankful for that,” Cobb said.

The Comets’ resilience after losing the first game pushed them forward to the second round, but Coach Adams believes they’ll have to play with more emotional control and limit their mistakes to progress further.

Palomar will face Riverside or San Diego Mesa on May 8-10. The victor will then proceed to the regional finals of the 3C2A baseball championship.

For information on the 3C2A baseball championship, visit the tournament webpage and the Palomar Athletics website for more game coverage.