SAN MARCOS — In the second round of the SoCal regional playoffs on May 7-8, Palomar baseball faced Saddleback College in a best-of-three series.
Early in the regular season, the Comets faced Saddleback twice, splitting the series and handing each other their respective first loss, but their seasons continued. In the postseason the stakes are much higher—it’s win, or hang up the bats and gloves until next year.
Game 1, Palomar 12 – Saddleback 1
With the Saddleback Bobcats held scoreless for seven innings straight, the Comets stood strong the whole game to secure the win.
Playing a home game on May 7, the Comets kept their energy levels high and racked up a 7-0 lead before the first inning finished.
With Elijah Stephens (#39) on first base, Gavin Malcomson (#4) on second and Braedon Peterson-Cheek (#8) on third, Michael Rodda (#36) cleared the bases with a grand slam.
Hitting this grand slam not only set the tone of the game for Rodda, but for the whole team.
“It feels great just getting the team out early. The guys got on in front of me and I was able to put a good swing on a pitch. And then, you know, see us tacked on from there and then we kind of didn’t look back,” Rodda said.
From the first inning on, the Comets weren’t letting anything slide defensively, and the Bobcats could not catch up.
Stephens was the Comets’ pitcher for the first five innings, and threw balls that the Bobcats failed to get their bats on. Throughout these innings he allowed zero runs and notched six strikeouts.
He was not only the starting pitcher, he also batted as the designated hitter; Stephens put on a good show in the dual role, though it is not the easiest thing to do.
“Getting to start today was obviously something I had to, you know, give everything I had, but hitting and pitching the same game is a little challenging,” Stephens said. “I think I didn’t have my best stuff today hitting, but I’m glad I could get it done pitching.”
The Bobcats scored their one and only run in the top of the eighth, but it was not nearly enough for them to win. Comet baseball coach Ben Adams thinks that with the pressure that comes from being the top seed in the state, keeping focus during these postseason games is what is best for the team.
“I think there’s always pressure when you’re ranked high. And it’s just a matter of trying to just get them to play what they’re capable of and not really worrying about all of the exterior stuff,” Adams said.
Game 2, Palomar 12 – Saddleback 11
Saddleback flipped the script in Game 2, going up 6-0 in the first inning against Palomar’s starting pitcher Ryan Herrod (#30).
Herrod struggled with his command from the get-go, loading the bases without recording an out. The Bobcats hit four singles to score the six runs, but Herrod was credited with just two earned runs due to fielding errors.
Over the remainder of the game Palomar chipped away at the deficit while Herrod and relief pitcher Dylan Berentis (#15) shutout Saddleback’s offense for the next four innings.
Two runs were gained back in the second inning, then in the third with two outs and no one on base, Palomar shortstop Preston Conklin (#9) remained patient at the plate and drew a walk. Jacob Loving (#2) hit a clutch double to score Conklin, before Rainn McMillan (#31) hit a single to score Loving, cutting Saddleback’s lead to 6-4.
“This is a special group of guys and very little, if anything, even starting off down by six dictates our approach at the plate,” Conklin said.
The Comets pulled within one run in the fifth inning, but a missed call by the officiating crew in the sixth gave the Bobcats their first run since the first inning.
“It definitely interrupts the flow we had during the game, but there was no energy gone, no energy gone from us,” Conklin said.
Both teams battled, trading run for hard-fought run and by the end of the ninth inning the score was tied 9-9. Palomar scored first in extra innings, only for Saddleback to answer back with a run of its own.
There were two innings of batting silence before the Comets broke through in the 13th, scoring two runs off a single from Michael Rodda and a Conklin sacrifice fly to give Palomar a 12-10 lead.
Joey Halter (#37) held pitching duties since the 11th inning and came in to finish the game. Despite loading the bases, and allowing a run in the final frame, Halter held his ground to earn the grueling win and advance Palomar in the playoffs.
“At the end of the day, my job is to go out there, compete and throw strikes,” Halter said. “You go up there, you battle, throw your stuff and force action. I trust in my fielders and I was lucky enough to escape with that win.”
Comet baseball’s next step in its postseason journey will be the SoCal regional finals. Palomar will take on Santa Barbara City College on May 15-17 at Bob Vetter Field in a best-of-three showdown with a shot at the state championship on the line.
