Palomar sweeps twin bill from AVC

LANCASTER, CA (2/8/2020) – With the pitching staff allowing just six hits in the two games and sophomore first baseman Rylee Penrod slugging three home runs, the Palomar College softball team swept a nonconference doubleheader against Antelope Valley College in a rematch of a playoff series from last season.

Sophomore pitcher Cat Aguilar pitched six strong innings, allowing just four hits and no walks with one strikeout as the Comets claimed the first game, 11-1. Freshman Alyssa Domingo pitched the second contest, surrendering only two hits in seven innings of an 8-2 Palomar victory. Domingo walked seven and struck out nine.

Palomar and Antelope Valley were tied at 1-1 after three innings of the opener before the Comets erupted for two runs in the fourth inning, two in the fifth and six in the sixth to bring about the eight-run mercy rule. Palomar broke the tie with a bases-loaded walk to sophomore catcher Kendall Kates which scored freshman second baseman Maddie Loperena, and sophomore third baseman Shea Lane scored on a passed ball.

Back-to-back home runs by sophomore right fielder Samantha Renteria and Penrod padded the Palomar lead in the fifth inning, and a two-out, two-run single by Loperena highlighted the six-run rally in the sixth.

The Comets trailed, 1-0, after one inning of the nightcap, but that was the only lead the host Marauders held all day. Palomar scored single runs in the second, third and fifth innings before breaking open the game with a five-run sixth.

Penrod and Renteria homered again to account for the runs in the third and fifth innings, and Penrod added a two-run shot in the sixth for her third round-tripper of the twin bill. Lane also homered for the Comets in the sixth to go along with a second-inning RBI double.

Penrod was 3-for-4 at the plate, and Renteria had two hits to give her four hits for the two games.

The two wins improved Palomar's record to 6-1 on the season, while Antelope Valley fell to 4-6. AVC won the Western State Conference East Division title last year before having its season ended by two losses against the Comets in the 2019 CCCAA Super Regional playoffs.

Palomar returns to San Marcos for home games on Tuesday, Feb. 11, against Fullerton (2:30 p.m.) and Friday, Feb. 14, against defending state champion Mt. San Antonio (noon).