SAN MARCOS — As baseball continues through the postseason, the energy is infectious as they share one last season before sending off its sophomore players.

The Comets had a strong season, winning 34 games against numerous teams throughout Southern California.

With a multitude of victories in both home and away games, they ranked first in southern region in the playoffs, and second overall in the state.

Left fielder Braedon Peterson-Cheek set the bar high as he hit a home run in the first home game of the season against Golden West. Peterson-Cheek and the Comets proved that they came to dominate this season.

“That got our offense going that day and kind of set the tone for the season,” Peterson-Cheek said.

Other moments that the Comets were proud of included their 21-12 victory against Grossmont College in March.

Justin Tucker, who plays center field, remains the most proud of this game as he came back from an injury early on in the season, hitting two doubles during this game.

“I just honestly try to be grateful that I even get to play, especially being injured early on,” Tucker said.

Jacob Loving shared the same sentiment as Tucker for defeating Grossmont, as they both hit back-to-back doubles for two runs batted in (RBIs).

“I think every day now when I go into the game, I realize that I get to be here rather than try to go hit a home run or hit a double that day,” Tucker said. “It’s just the fact that I even get to play.”

The Palomar baseball team remains a strong, connected team on and off the field. This team, rooted deeply in friendship and the love of the sport, carries them game to game and well into the players’ future endeavors.

“[The best thing about playing for Palomar is] honestly, the brotherhood, and just creating all these friendships here,” Peterson-Cheek said. “I mean, I’m going to know these guys for the rest of my life. I’ve made best friends that I’ll have at my wedding for sure.”

This game, as physical as it is, remains a strong mental one as well. The skills these men learn are not just how to hit a ball, but learning to adapt to whatever life may throw at them.

“I think baseball correlates the best with life, because it’s a game of failure,” Tucker said. “You fail seven out of ten times, and you’re still considered great, so I think learning that it’s ok to fail, and you can grow from failure rather than run from it.”

Baseball is a sport that proves it is not just how one plays in a game, but the attitude a player brings when walking onto and off of the field.

“I think just the way I approach things has been different since I started, especially at this school,” Loving said. “I’m just trying to really focus on what’s in front of me rather than the future and past.”

As these athletes share their last season and the camaraderie remains firm, these sophomore players look to their future and are starting to plan what is next for them and their beloved sport.

“This postseason is going to get us a lot of looks to hopefully get that school that I want to go to, and just hopefully play baseball as long as I can,” Peterson-Cheek said. “That’s the goal. I love this game so much, I just want to play it as long as I can for sure.”

Adrian Macias, who plays third base, set his transfer goals between a couple of Division 2 schools and aspires to go up to Oregon or even as far as the Dakotas.

“I’m transferring out this year,” Macias said. “I’m going to wait until the end of summer to commit to where I’m going and get as much options as I can and see where it takes me, go as far as I can go.”

While some players are firm on their future path, like Tucker who will be attending Tennessee Wesleyan University, a four-year National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics school, with a full-ride offer, others, like Loving, are still making their final decisions.

Coach Ben Adams, in his 23 years at Palomar, reflected on his large sophomore group and how he kept the team in line and carried them throughout the remainder of the postseason.

“Well, I think the biggest challenge has always been to try and keep 18, 19-year-olds consistent with what they do and how they go about the things, and I think that’s kind of what we’ve tried to talk about is being as consistent as possible, and I think that stems from winning games and losing games,” Adams said.

While the Comets can celebrate their victorious regular season, this team is not done yet, as they continue to remain strong during the postseason.

“The daily grind of the regular season is something that I enjoy personally, and then once you get to the postseason, it’s kind of their time to go do what they’re trying to do, and they’ve accomplished a lot to get to this point,” Adams said.

Overall, the Comets’ success is not just about the strength of their play, but also about the bonds they have made with each other and the love they all share for America’s favorite pastime.