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Smith out-duels U of A transfer in 3-1 win
Smith (left), who signed early with the University of San Diego, worked his way out of a first-inning jam and wound up stopping the Gauchos on two hits over five innings. The Comets also got outstanding relief pitching from Adam Mott, Tim Hill and Ryan Wilkins, who struck out three batters in the bottom of the ninth to pick up the save. The Palomar pitchers scattered six hits. Martinez (right) doubled twice, singled to drive in two runs to break a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning and reached base at a hit batter. B.K. Santy singled in a run to tie the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning. Jeremy Cline, Terrence Buchanan, Derek Baum and Zach Gage added singles as the Comets got to Lewis, who pitched for Arizona last season as a true freshman, for six hits over five innings. Palomar finished with eight hits off five Saddleback pitchers. Palomar benefited by being able to execute -- Buchanan with a bunt single and Ty Afenir and Gage contributing successful sacrifice bunts. Along with shutout innings by Mott and Wilkens, Hill allowed back--to-back baserunners to open both the seventh and eighth innings, then worked his way out of trouble both times. He used a variety of effective pitches to strike out three batters. For Saddleback, Lewis struck out eight batters in the first 3 1/3 innings before the Comets started to get to him. Palomar is slated to play Allan Hancock on Friday at 10 a.m. at Santa Ana College in a game that has been moved up a day from Saturday to attempt to beat an expected storm. Weather permitting, Palomar also will play Santa Ana at 2 p.m. in another game that originally was scheduled for Saturday.
Coach Buck Taylor (10) has one of the nation's best community college baseball programs. The nationally-ranked Comets open the season Wednesday at Saddleback. -- Photo by Hugh Gerhardt Nationally-ranked Comets open at Gauchos MISSION VIEJO / CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (2-2-10) -- Palomar, which previously was ranked No. 4 in Southern California and No. 9 on the West Coast in the pre-season, will enter Wednesday's 2 p.m. season opener at Saddleback ranked No.30 in the nation. PG Crosschecker.com of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has positioned the Comets as the fourth-ranked California team in its national rankings entering the season. Southern Nevada and San Jacinto (Texas) are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the nation, respectively. The top-ranked California team is No. 6 Cypress. A year ago, Pacific Coast Athletic Conference champion Palomar was ranked No. 5 in the nation at the conclusion of the regular season and No. 11 after the post-season. Four Comets signed early with Division I teams, including right-handed pitcher Patrick Smith, who is expected to start today's game, with the University of San Diego. Left-handed pitcher Scott Myers signed early with the University of Oklahoma, third baseman Alfonso Casillas with UOP and catcher B.K. Santy with the University of Washington. COMETS BELIEVE IN SANTY -- (North County Times) Palomar No. 4 in SoCal, No. 9 on West Coast
The Comets play the three teams ranked ahead of them in the SoCal poll (No. 1 and defending state champion Orange Coast, co-No. 2 Cypress twice and co-No. 2 Santa Ana), plus No. 6 Southwestern five times, No. 13 Saddleback twice, No. 16 Grossmont five times and No. 17 Allan Hancock, The Top 10 teams in the ABCA Pacific Divisions poll are No. 1 Orange Coast, No. 2 San Joaquin Delta, co-No. 3 Lower Columbia (Washington), co-No. 3 Mt. Hood (Oregon), No. 5 Cypress, No. 6 Fresno City College, No. 7 Santa Ana, No. 8 Columbia Basin, the No.9 Comets and No. 10 Feather River. Ex-Comet McLeod new Padres Assistant GM
After his career at Rancho Buena Vista High School and Palomar, McLeod pitched professionally in the Houston Astros organization. He's a former Padres scout. Another ex-Comet and former minor league pitcher, Darren Balsley, is the Padres' pitching coach. Smith 4th 2010 Comet to commit to D-I, to USD
All four (the list also includes right-handed pitcher Scott Myers to Oklahoma, first baseman Alfonso Casillas to UOP and catcher B.K. Santy to Washington) are all expected to sign during the one-week early period that begins Wednesday. Smith (above), a sophomore from Paloma Valley High School in Menifee, had a 2.00 ERA for the Comets as a freshman last spring. He had a big summer for the Wenatchee (Washington) Applesox in wood-bat ball and also was recruited, among others, by UC Irvine and Gonzaga.
Santy commits to University of Washington
Santy (left), heading home after a home run against Mt. SAC, selected the University of Washington. Santy (Rancho Bernardo High) batted .291 with nine doubles, a home run and 22 RBIs last spring as a true freshman as the Comets won the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championship and made it to the finals of one of two Southern California Super Regional tournaments. That Palomar team was ranked No. 11 in the nation (No. 6 in the nation after the regular seaso) and No. 1 in Southern California and in California / Oregon / Washington. Earlier, pitcher Scott Myers committed to the University of Oklahoma, first baseman Alfonso Casillas to the University of the Pacific.
ABOVE PHOTOS: First baseman Alfonso Casillas will move on to the University of the Pacific after the 2010 season. -- Photos by Hugh Gearhardt. BELOW LEFT: Scott Myers, a transfer who will pitch for the Comets this spring, will then transfer to the University of Oklahoma. Myers commits to Oklahoma, Casillas to UOP
Casillas, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound sophomore first baseman from Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta, led Palomar with a .442 average during the 2009 season, when the 36-13-1 Comets won the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championship, advanced to the Super Regional finals and were ranked No. 11 in the nation. Casillas finished with 10 doubles, 10 home runs and 35 RBIs as a freshman and was a first-team all-conference selection, a first-team CCCAA all-state pick, and a first-team community college All-American. Myers, a 5-foot-8, 160-pound right-handed pitcher, is a transfer from Saddleback College where he was 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings as a freshman last season. He was an All-CIF Southern Section Division III selection two years ago at Beckman High School in Irvine, where he was 7-3 with six complete games, a 1.51 ERA and 82 strikeouts as a senior. Myers transferred to Beckman High at the semester of his senior year from New Jersey when his father was transferred to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Also, right-handed pitcher Aaron Edwards (1-0 with two saves and a 3.04 ERA for the Comets last spring) has accepted a scholarship to NAIA power Culver-Stockton College and will transfer there in January. All-time Comet great added to Palomar staff
Afenir broke into MLB on Sept. 21, 1987 with the Astros and played his final Major League game for the Reds on July 10, 1992. An outstanding defensive catcher, he made only one error in 192 chances in limited action in the Major Leagues and had a .992 career fielding percentage. He was one of four brothers who played baseball for the Comets and then went on to play either NCAA Division I baseball, professional baseball or both. Older brother Steve Afenir, an outfielder for the Comets and now head coach at Escondido High School, was Troy Afenir's teammate on Palomar's 1992 team and went on to play for the University of Wyoming. Younger brother Ricky Afenir, father of current Palomar freshman infielder Tye Afenir, played third base for the Comets and for BYU. Younger brother Tom Afenir caught for both Palomar and for the University of Mississippi and later played in the Cleveland Indians farm system. Troy Afenir was the second player taken in the nation in the old Winter draft (by the Astros) in January, 1982, prior to his freshman season at Palomar. He later was drafted by the Chicago Cubs and then for a second time by the Astros, in the first round of the June 1983 draft following his sophomore season. He turned down a scholarship from Oklahoma State, his No. 1 four-year college choice, to sign a professional contract. Afenir was a California Community College all-state selection and a community college All-American under coach Bob Vetter for the Comets as a sophomore in 1983. He still ranks fourth in home runs on Palomar's all-time single-season list (13 in 1983), is tied for first on the Palomar list for home runs in conference games (10, also in 1983) and is fifth on Palomar's career home run list (16, in an injury-shortened freshman season in 1982, and his sophomore season of 1983). Afenir is married to the former Kim Carter, who played softball at Palomar under coach Mark Eldridge. Their son, Austin, is a junior catcher at Escondido High. Afenir's nephew Buck Afenir, the son of older brother Steve, caught for the University of Kansas and is currently playing in the New York Yankees farm system. ------- 2010 Baseball Schedule and Results
KKSM RADIO LIVE BROADCASTS SELECTED GAMES 1320-AM Cox Cable Channel 958 http://www.palomar.edu/kksm/live.html 2010 Roster
Ex-Comets Who Played Major League Baseball (Regular Season)
Ex-Comets Who Played Major League Baseball (Pre-Season)
Copyright © 2010 Palomar Community College. All rights reserved. Questions about this web site? contact Tom Saxe |
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