Issue Date: 5/11/09
Comets fall to Grossmont 6-3 heading into playoffs
By Jeremy Leal
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The game started off ugly for the Comets. Grossmont got out to a 1-0 lead after two errors and a hit surrendered by the starter Sam Jew. Palomar did not respond until the bottom of the fourth inning.
Tyler Saladino, Alfonso Casillas and Brenden Webb each got hits that allowed Palomar to tie the game up on an error that scored Saladino with two outs.
Grossmont put in Zach Anderson to get the last out of the inning.
Although Palomar tied the game, Grossmont was quick to put more runs on the board. A double and single put runners in scoring position for Grossmont, with no one out.
One of the runners scored off of a sacrifice fly and another off of a fielder's choice to make the game 3-1 Grossmont. Saladino made a fantastic backhand play at shortstop to end the inning.
But Saladino was taken out in the bottom of the sixth inning after being hit on his throwing hand while trying to lay down a bunt.
"He's going to get an X-ray right now and the index finger on his throwing hand looks really bad," Head Coach Buck Taylor said about Saladino after the game.
Later in that inning, the Comets had runners on base but weren't able to score.
In the seventh inning, Palomar put in Travis Strong to replace Jew. Another error in the inning cost Palomar a run, making the score 4-1. Palomar stayed quiet in the bottom of the inning.
Another pitching change came for Palomar in the top of the eighth inning. Shawn Sanford came in to pitch for Strong and pitched the first two outs of the inning, while Aaron Edwards pitched the last out.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Palomar seemed to come alive. The dugout was louder and more enthusiastic, and it resulted in two runs for the Comets. Matt Hubbard led the inning off with a single. After a fielder's choice and a sacrifice fly, Hubbard was on third with two outs. Brenden Webb stepped to the plate. Webb smashed a two run homerun that put Palomar within one run of Grossmont.
"I was excited because I hit the ball and we were only down by one, so I figured with the pitching that we have, and the hitters that we had coming up, I thought that we definitely had a chance to get one run in," Webb said.
Palomar's hopes were dashed in the next inning. Grossmont hit back-to-back home runs to give the Griffins a 6-3 lead.
Palomar was not able to respond in the bottom of the ninth and ultimatelygave Grossmont a 6-3 win.
Coach Taylor said he was disappointed after the game.
"We just didn't show up. We were not ready mentally and I think it came back to bite us," Coach Taylor said.
The Comets ended the season as the top ranked baseball team in the state and on the west coast.
Palomar opened up the Southern California regionals May 8 against Citrus as the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
This means the Comets will host every playoff game for as long as they are in the playoffs.
Should the Comets advance and win the super regionals, they will travel to Fresno for the final four May 23-25.
The Comets team members said they are up for the challenge and hope to bring a championship home.
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