Palomar Splits North-South Showdown with Folsom Lake
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Folsom Lake | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 4 |
|
Palomar | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | X | 7 | 10 | 1 |
LAKE ELSINORE, CA (2/15/2025) -- The South No. 4-ranked Palomar College Comets went head-to-head with North No. 1-ranked Folsom Lake College in a two-game battle at Elsinore High School over the weekend. The Falcons took the opener 6-3 on Friday, but the Comets bounced back with a dominant 7-2 victory on Saturday.
Game 1: Folsom Lake 6, Palomar 3
The Comets fell behind early and couldn't recover as Folsom Lake capitalized on timely hitting.
Palomar's offense was held in check for the first four innings before breaking through in the fifth. Justin Tucker crushed a two-run home run, cutting the deficit to 4-3, and Brendan Shanahan followed with an RBI double to bring Palomar within striking distance. However, the Comets were unable to generate further offense.
On the mound, Ian Mowad (0-2) took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits over five innings while striking out eight. Jacob Imoto and Lucas Smith combined for four innings of relief, allowing just one run and striking out five.
Game 2: Palomar 7, Folsom Lake 2
Palomar bounced back in the second game, using a balanced offensive attack and strong pitching to secure the victory.
Brendan Shanahan got things started early with a two-run home run in the first inning, giving the Comets a quick 2-0 lead. Adrian Macias delivered a clutch three-run double in the sixth, and Hunter Stencil added an RBI single to extend the lead.
On the mound, Peter Knorr (1-1) delivered a strong performance, going 5.1 innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) on eight hits while striking out five. Tait Karlson and Joey Halter combined for 3.2 scoreless innings, striking out six and closing out the win.
Key Performances
Game 1 (L, 6-3)
- Justin Tucker: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs
- Brendan Shanahan: 2-for-4, RBI double
- Ian Mowad (0-2): 5.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R (4 ER), 8 K
Game 2 (W, 7-2)
- Brendan Shanahan: 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 SB
- Adrian Macias: 1-for-3, 3 RBIs, 2B
- Hunter Stencil: 3-for-4, RBI
- Peter Knorr (1-1): 5.1 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 5 K
- Tait Karlson & Joey Halter: 3.2 IP, 0 R, 6 K combined
With the series split, Palomar moves to 5-4 on the season and looks ahead to their next challenge as they continue non-conference play, a rematch with Cypress College on Monday afternoon at home.