Palomar Punches Ticket to Semi-Finals With 1-0 Win Over CRC

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Bakersfield, CA -- Palomar College, South #1 and winners of four California Community College Athletic Association State Softball Championships, punched their ticket to the semi-finals of the 2015 Championships on Friday night with a 1-0 win over North #2 Cosumnes River College. The win sets up a meeting between the Comets and San Mateo on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 PM. The two teams were the consensus top two teams in the State of California in the California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association Coaches Poll all season long.

Palomar would threaten in each of the first and second innings. The Comets loaded up the bases with one out in the bottom of the first, and put runners on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the second. In each instance Cosumnes River sophomore Amanda Horbasch wriggled out of trouble, getting a foul out and a strike out in the first and a fly out to left-center in the second.

While Palomar was able to put a runner on base in the first three innings, the Hawks weren't. Sophomore Hanna Miller recorded the lone knock for Cosumnes River in the top of the second with a leadoff single to left field.

The Hawks put together their best threat in the top of the fourth when sophomore Christin Stein led things off with a single through the left side. Stein was sacrificed to second by Horbasch, and then got a partner on the bases when Miller drew a four-pitch walk. The threat would end prematurely though when the next batter lifted a fly ball to right, and Stein was hosed at third trying to make something happen.

Palomar's offense slowed through the third and fourth innings, putting on just one runner on in each of the third and fourth innings. The Comets caught a break in the bottom of the fifth though, when sophomore Kali Pugh lifted a high fly ball to center field that was mishandled by the Hawks. The error led to Pugh cruising into second base, and moving to third on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Brooke Huddleson. That sacrifice brought freshman Iesha Hill to the plate. Hill worked a 2-1 count, and then roped a double up the left field line plating Pugh and securing the first and only lead of the game on behalf of the Comets.

Cosumnes would head into the top of the seventh, trailing and needing a run to stay alive. The Hawks would get a leadoff walk by Horbasch, and extend their life via a Comet error with two outs. That's all they got though as Palomar freshman Summer Evans (27-3) wrapped up a complete game two-hit shutout. Horbasch (25-5) would end up the hard luck loser, giving up just one unearned run on five hits over six innings of work. 

Cosumnes River will take on South #2 Cypress College in the first elimination game of the weekend Saturday at 5:30 PM.