Comets persevere to stay alive in playoffs

SAN MARCOS, CA (5/7/2022) -- Down, but not out, the No. 5 seeded Palomar Comets made light work of the No. 12 Pasadena City College Lancers, winning 17-4, in a forced game three by the Lancers to advance to the second round of the CCCAA SoCal Regionals. 

With the game tied at two runs apiece, Palomar dug and got back to the game plan. Thanks to five run innings in the fifth and sixth, the Comets were back in control with a 12-3 lead. In the sixth, it was all about the singles to get base runners. With Ethan Ellis on second and Jack Sanders on first, Bryson Hashimoto singled to score Ellis. Quincy Scott then singled to score Sanders. Tanner Lappin hit a 3-run homer to push the Comets further ahead. The rally ended there for the Comets and Lancers made quick work of them in the seventh, but the Comets were going to go silently. With the bases loaded in the eighth, Erik Larsen hit a bases clearing double only then to be brought home by an Ellis single the next at-bat. 

Ethan Sally held the Lancers to five hits in his outing before Trent Lopez clocked in. In one inning pitched, Lopez allowed one home run and silenced the Lancers. Blake Ignaciak took over in the eighth to record one strikeout and stud closer Austin Schroeder struck out the first two Lancers and got the third to fly out to end the game. 

The No. 5 Comets have advanced to the second round regional where they will hit the road and face No. 4 Santa Ana College for a second best-of-three series beginning on Friday. Game two will be played Saturday and if necessary, game three will be played on Sunday.