What started as a strong, consistent season for Palomar College baseball ended on the state’s biggest stage, where the Comets turned months of offensive production and team chemistry into a championship run.
Palomar remained competitive throughout conference play and positioned itself as the strongest baseball program in the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A).
Palomar opened the season with a series sweep over Golden West College, including a 22-7 victory. The Comets recorded 19 hits in the game, while Gavin Malcomson finished with six RBIs, and Ryan Ham added four hits and three RBIs.
Players said the relationships within the team became an important part of the season. “The thing that I’ll look back on about this team in a few years is the brotherhood we all shared,” Palomar baseball player AJ Klubeck said. “Throughout this season, we’ve all been able to rely on one another, and that only made our connection stronger.”
Throughout the season, Palomar remained productive offensively. According to Palomar Athletics statistics, the Comets maintained a team batting average above .300 during much of the year. By the end of the regular season, Palomar topped all 3C2A teams with a .354 batting average.
Palomar baseball player DC Ruth pointed to the team’s extra-inning playoff win against Saddleback College as one of the season’s memorable moments.
“They jumped out to an early lead, scoring six in the first against us, but we were able to scratch the deficit down,” Ruth said. “We went into extra innings and ended up closing the game in the 13th.”
Conference competition remained a major focus during the season. Palomar earned series victories against teams including Southwestern College and San Diego Mesa College. In a 9-4 road win against Southwestern College, the Comets collected 15 hits and improved to 13-3 overall and 3-0 in conference play.
Palomar baseball coach Benjamin Adams said the season emphasized the importance of character and consistency within the program. “Individual and group character will trump talent every day,” Coach Adams said.
Pitching performances also contributed to the team’s results throughout the season. Pitchers, including Joey Navarro and Jordan Green delivered key innings during conference play and helped limit opposing offenses in several games.
Klubeck said the team remained focused on its long-term goals throughout the season. “The goal of winning State for the first time in Palomar history has never changed, from August to now,” Klubeck said.
Another challenge for the coaching staff was keeping players focused on the season’s daily demands rather than looking too far ahead. “The biggest challenge this season was to get the team focused on the day-to-day grind of baseball,” Coach Adams said. “The group had end-game goals but sometimes would get caught looking ahead.”
As the regular season concluded, they were second overall in the 3C2A rankings and first among teams in the southern region.
The Comets carried that momentum into the 3C2A state championship round, where they opened with a 6-2 win over Feather River College and followed with a victory against Santa Ana College. Palomar faced Santa Ana again in the final games but ultimately fell, bringing their season to a close. Despite the result, the Comets’ combination of offensive production, pitching depth and team chemistry defined one of the program’s strongest seasons and a deep postseason run.