The Comets’ hard-fought season ended after missing opportunities to attack their opponents’ offense during the State Championships at West Valley College on May 15-18.
Palomar’s softball team entered the state tournament as the No. 3 seed in the South, boasting a 40-3 overall record and an undefeated conference run. After two dominant home playoff matchups, the Comets hoped to capture the sixth state title in program history.
Over the weekend, the Comets played six games over four days against San Mateo, Modesto, West Valley, El Camino, and Yuba in a double-elimination tournament.
Game 1- Palomar 2, San Mateo 4
Palomar entered the state tournament, facing off against No. 2 San Mateo to start the weekend.
San Mateo took a 1-0 lead in the second inning after Love Cabanas hit an RBI single.
The offensive momentum carried into the fourth inning as San Mateo’s bats stayed consistent, including a double by Ava Mendoza, making it 2-0 for the Bulldogs.
In the sixth inning, the Comets began to make a comeback, scoring two runs in the inning from back-to-back RBI singles from Isabella De Filippis and Gisele Gonzalez, making the score 3-2
The late-inning rally from Palomar wasn’t enough, and the Comets lost the opening game to San Mateo 4-2. Palomar was now one loss away from elimination.
Game 2 – Palomar 3, Modesto 1
Facing No. 4 Modesto, Palomar got the bats going early when Isabella De Filippis singled to drive in Breanna Lutz, making it 1-0 Comets in the first inning.
In the second inning, the Comets’ offense continued to score when star third baseman Breanna Lutz hit a two-run home run to left center field, giving Palomar a 3-1 lead.
Nevaeh Haywood, the starting pitcher for the Comets, delivered a jaw-dropping performance over four innings, allowing just three hits and one run with two strikeouts.
Modesto attempted to make a sixth-inning comeback, but it was too late as the Comets got three lights-out innings from Maddie Bedolla to secure the win for the Comets.
Game 3 – Palomar 9, West Valley 0
The Comets continued to put their foot on the gas as the game started off with a three-run double off the bat of Alexis Huey.
Palomar’s hitters dominated at the plate in the second inning as Zoe Karam hit a two-run double, extending the lead over West Valley 5- 0.
In the third inning, the Comets’ bats added insurance runs when Gisele Gonzalez singled to score a run, improving the lead to 6-0.
“My biggest challenge this season has definitely been my hitting. It’s more about me getting hard on myself when I do bad, and I just need to relax at the plate, erase all the bad things that I did, and go to the next pitch,” Gonzalez said.
Lauren Doepping hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning, giving Palomar a nine-run lead and securing the victory over West Valley.
Game 4 – Palomar 4 El Camino 1
The Comets kept on rolling after a third win in a row over El Camino, 4-1.
The matchup started slow, but El Camino took the lead in the third inning with a sacrifice fly, bringing in the game’s first run.
Palomar got on board in the fifth inning when first baseman Zoe Karam hit a single to bring in Breanna Lutz to tie the game 1-1.
The Comets didn’t stop there, as they came out in the sixth inning hungry to win as second baseman Josephine Hueberger hit a massive bases-loaded triple, giving them a 4-1 lead and the win.
“Honestly, I’m a third year, so state has really been motivating me. In the last two years, my freshman year, we made it to the championship and lost twice. Last year, we got beat pretty badly, and this year we are so competitive. I’m just ready to take a win,” Heuberger said.
Game 5 – Palomar 10 Yuba 1
The outcome of this game decided whether Palomar would advance to the championship game and have a rematch against San Mateo.
The first two innings included no hits by either team and multiple strikeouts. But when Palomar was up to bat in the third inning, it seemed they found their momentum from the previous games.
The third inning started with a leadoff single by Taylor Armstrong. The next batter was a sacrifice bunt, and the next a groundout, setting it up as another scoreless inning.
The top of the lineup had other plans, and Breanna Lutz walked. Josephine Heuberger was up with runners on the corners and hit an impressive home run to go up 3-0.
After another single and walk by the Comet’s, they hit back-to-back triples from Alexis Huey and Isabella De Filippis, making it a 6-0 Comet’s lead.
The Comets then scored four more runs in the sixth inning, three of which came from Zoe Karam, who hit a three-run home run, leading to a 10-1 lead and a win to advance the Comets to the championship game.
“[The team] is so close and tight, and I just play for them whenever I come out here. Same in the classroom, if I don’t excel in the classroom, I don’t even come out [to the field], so my teammates are my biggest driving force,” Armstrong said.
Game 6 – Palomar 4 San Mateo 7
The Comets faced San Mateo in the championship game, a must-win or go-home scenario.
Palomar’s offense found its rhythm in the second inning and was determined to take the state title in the championship game. Josephine Heuberger reached base on an error by San Mateo, extending the lead 2-0.
However, San Mateo answered back in the third inning with the bats staying consistent, including a two-run single by Nohemi Livingston.
San Mateo’s offensive momentum carried into the fourth inning as Nevaeh Haywood struggled on the mound, allowing six hits and five runs.
In the fifth inning, San Mateo emphasized how ready the team was to win the state title, as the bats were unstoppable. Ale Phillips hit a two-run single, extending San Mateo’s lead over Palomar 7-2.
The Comets attempted to secure the victory against San Mateo, forcing another game, with the hitters finding motivation at the plate. Breanna Lutz and Josephine Heuberger hit back-to-back singles in the sixth inning, bringing the energy into the dugout. Alexis Huey also wanted to join the offense, hitting a two-run single.
San Mateo defeated Palomar in the seventh inning after three back-to-back-to-back groundouts ended the Comets’ memorable season.
“You know, we take a lot of pride in our program continuing to maintain its success and traditions. Once a year, we have new players, and so we want every single girl that comes here and every team to experience the success that we have,” Head Coach Lacey Craft said.
