SAN MARCOS — After securing the top seed in the Southern region, Palomar baseball will host all its postseason matches until the state championship round.
The Comets took their home-field advantage and ran with it in the SoCal regional round, sweeping Mt. San Jacinto and Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) on May 1–3.
Freshman pitcher Elijah Stephens (#39) got the nod to start Game 1 against the Mt. San Jacinto Eagles and his arm was a major factor in the 12-0 victory.
“We have tremendous confidence in his ability to pitch and to throw strikes. He’s done a really good job of it all season,” Coach Ben Adams said.
Stephens dominated on the mound, throwing seven-plus scoreless innings with six punchouts and one hit allowed. He helped out with his bat too, going 4-for-5 with five runs batted in (RBIs) and three runs scored, including the first run of the game in the third inning.
“If I can prevent runs and score it kind of helps myself out and helps everyone else out as well, both ways help the team win,” Stephens said.
The Eagles’ pitcher Gavin Warner held the Comets’ offense in check through six innings, surrendering two runs. But in the seventh, things fell apart for Warner.
Comet Braedon Peterson-Cheek (#8) led off the inning with a double before right fielder Gavin Malcomson (#4) got a rally started. Malcomson laid down a bunt to advance Peterson-Cheek, but instead brought him in to score after an errant throw from the Eagles’ third baseman.
The Comets scored four more times in the seventh, increasing their lead to 7-0.
“Offensively we like to string a couple of runs together, I saw Cheek on second and stuck with the plan,” Malcomson said. “Just knew it was a good opportunity and it worked out, got us a run and I feel like that helped break it open and the bats really came alive after that.”
With seven fatiguing innings of pitching under his belt, Stephens ran into some trouble in the eighth. After walking the first batter and hitting the second, Stephens was relieved of his pitching duties, albeit to a standing ovation from Palomar fans.
The incoming relief pitcher Dylan Berentis (#15) retired three of the next four batters to keep the Eagles’ score and Stephens’ postseason earned run average (ERA) at zero.
“I feel like my coaches and all my teammates have prepared me and give me confidence, so the least I can do is just give them my best and and go from there,” Stephens said. “Getting the call for the first start and I get to a team, that means a lot.”
But Stephens’ highlights did not end with his departure from the mound. He still remained in the game as the designated hitter.
In his next at-bat in the bottom of the eighth, Stephens swung at a pitch before doubling over in pain from an apparent charley horse.
Instead of exiting the game, Stephens dug in and laced a three-run home run over the left-field fence, extending the lead to 10-0.
The Comets tacked on two additional runs before Comet relief pitcher Chance Crawford (#21) shut Mt. San Jacinto down in order in the ninth inning, securing the 12-0 win for Palomar in Game 1.
Momentum from the first game’s rout persisted as Palomar defeated Mt. SAC twice — 12-5 on May 2 (Game 2) and 14-4 on May 3 (Game 3) to go undefeated in the first round of the postseason.
Catcher Rainn McMillan (#31) shone in Game 2, going 4-for-5 at the plate with a solo home run and four RBIs, while Peterson-Cheek led all batters in Game 3 with three RBIs off three doubles.
Hot bats win games, and Palomar’s bats were steaming by the end of Game 3.
“If we continue to stay patient, continue to put our swings on when it’s time for you to swing we’re gonna get our chance, and hopefully keep scoring a whole lot of runs,” Adams said.
The Comets look to keep things going in the super regionals–a best-of-three series–against the Saddleback Bobcats on May 7–9 at Bob Vetter Field.
Palomar is 1-1 against Saddleback this season.
For more information on the Palomar baseball team and the playoffs schedule, visit the Palomar Athletics’ website and check out The Telescope for more sports news and coverage.