When it comes to stick-and-ball sports among the local community colleges, Palomar College has no peer.
The Comets’ softball team is ranked second in the state and has won 34 straight games against Pacific Coast Athletic Conference foes.
And the Palomar baseball team is seeking a fourth straight PCAC title. The Comets have a 20-8 record and are ranked eighth in California. They hold a one-game lead on Southwestern in the PCAC race.
But there is a difference to Palomar’s 2025 baseball team. The Comets are not clubbing PCAC rivals into submission as they have in the past.
“Offensively, we’re not the team we’ve been the last four or five years,” coach Ben Adams said. “We’re not the team that put up crazy numbers. It’s a ‘gritty’ offense this season.”
Palomar’s strength this season is the pitching, particularly the deep corps of relievers.
“The deeper we get into games, the better we are,” Adams said. “Sooner or later, we’ll make something happen.”
And Adams has statistics to back up that claim. Palomar has come from behind to win eight games this season. And the Comets have outscored the opposition 86-42 from the seventh inning on.
“I think our confidence grows with each inning of a close game,” said catcher Carter Jorissen. “The longer the game, the better. We know we have pitching and depth. Something good is going to happen. We’ll get zeroes from our bullpen and defense. And we’ll scratch in runs … get on, get moved along and score.”
And while Palomar might not be as offensively impressive as in the past, Adams believes the Comets could be better suited for a deep playoff run.
“In a short series, we’re in a good position with our pitching,” said Adams. “Win ugly. We don’t play super sexy. But we’re strong fundamentally and we’ve been pretty good on defense.”
The Comets have three regular starting pitchers in left-handed freshman Brandon Bollerer and right-handed sophomores Ian Mowad and Pete Knorr (Carlsbad High School).
But it is the bullpen where Palomar’s strength lies. Led by sophomore right-hander Lucas Smith and freshmen Jacob Imoto (Mission Hills High School) and Joey Halter (Westview High School), the Comets have six relievers who routinely work up to two innings a game.
“Our bullpen changes the way the starters pitch,” said Bollerer, who is 5-0 with a 3.89 earned run average and 36 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings over eight starts. “We just go hard as long as we can. When coach asks me for the ball, I have total confidence in who is coming in next. That really reduces the stress.”
Said Jorissen: “We have solid starters. But we don’t need them to push for six and seven innings. If they go hard for three or four, we’re in good shape. We don’t really have a normal type starter.”
Mowad is 3-3 with a 6.54 ERA in 42 1/3 innings spread over 10 starts. Knorr is 2-3 with a 8.65 ERA in 26 innings in seven starts.
Then there is the bullpen.
Smith is 3-0 with four saves and a 1.80 ERA. The left-handed Imoto is 1-0 with four saves and a 1.69 ERA. Halter is 2-0 with a 2.51 ERA.
Make no mistake: the Comets have offensive weapons. As a team, they reach base 40% of the time.
Jorissen is hitting .408 (40-for-98) with three doubles, two triples and 21 RBIs in 27 games. He has drawn 16 walks against just four strikeouts in 114 plate appearances for a .532 on-base percentage and a .480 slugging percentage for a 1.012 OPS.
Center fielder Justin Tucker, a freshman from Grossmont High School, is hitting .368 (35-for-95) with 10 doubles, a triple, two home runs, 24 RBIs and 35 runs scored for a .496 on-base percentage and a .558 slugging percentage for a 1.054 OPS.
Freshman left fielder Braedon Peterson-Cheek (19 walks, .425 OBP) leads off for Palomar, followed by freshman first baseman Brendan Shanahan (.318, .444 OBP) and Jorissen. Freshman right fielder TK Madera (West Hills High School) hit fourth, followed by Tucker and freshman third baseman Adrian Macias (Carlsbad High School).
Palomar has reached the state playoff semifinals three times, losing in the 2005 title game and placing third in 2015 and 2022.
Every week, U-T contributor Bill Center highlights one San Diego college team that’s making strides on and off the field. To nominate a team, email wcenter27@gmail.com.
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