ABOVE: Mercedes Montanez leads off Palomar's three-run second inning with a single in Monday's 3-1 victory over visiting Saddleback. BELOW LEFT: Starting pitcher and winner Samantha Avii throws to a Saddleback batter. She allowed one hit over four innings. -- Photos by Hugh Cox

Comets knock off Gauchos, now have 4-0 record

SAN MARCOS (2-06-2012) -- Saddleback College's returning starters slugged a combined 40 home runs last season, but the Gauchos never solved Palomar pitchers Samantha Aviiand Bree Burns on Monday.

Winning pitcher Avii allowed only one hit, an uneared run and struck out three over the first four innings as the Comets won 3-1 at home. Burns threw shutout ball over the last three innings to notch a save.

Palomar scored its three runs in the second inning. Mercedes Montanez singled to lead off the inning and other keys in the rally were Raven Ikeda's RBI single and Raea Taniel's bases-loaded walk. Courtney Krauss and Jasmine Vogel also hit safely in the game.

ABOVE: Courtney Krauss guns out M. San Jacinto player at first base. --  Photo by Hugh Cox. BELOW RIGHT: Katie Wilford, who went 3-for-4 with a triple, double and three RBIs.

Same result as Palomar rolls 13-1 in home debut

SAN MARCOS (2-03-2012) -- It was the same story for the Palomar softball team in its home opener on Friday as it was in the Comets' double-header sweep of Victor Valley to open the season on Wednesday.

Another run-rule wiln. Another big day at the plate. Another strong pitching performance.

The Comets won the non-conference game 13-1 behind the pitching of Brenna Parker (1-0) and munltiple-hit performances courtesy of Katie Wilford, Riesa Tanielu, Mia Sprau, Jasmine Vogel and Parker.

Wilford went 3-for-3 with a triple, double, and three RBIs., Taniele (2-for-2, double, three stolen bases). Sprau was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Vogel went 2-for-4 with a tiple, doule and RBI. Parker was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Coach Lacey Craft's Comets are 3-0 and have outscored their opponents 38-1 going into a home game vs. Saddleback on Monday at 3 p.m.

Avii ignites Comets' 15-0, 10-0 sweep over Rams

VICTORVILLE (2-01-2012) -- Samantha Avii (left) pitched a shutout in the first game and went 7-for-8 on the day on Wednesday as Palomar swept a season-opening doubleheader from Victor Valley 15-0 and 10-0 in a pair of five-inning mercy-rule games on the road.

Avii struck out seven in four innings and Bree Burns came in to strike out the side in the fifth in Game 1. Brenna Parker was 4-for-4 at the plate with a triple, three runs scored and three RBIs. Avii was 4-for-4, scored two runs and drove in two runs. Katie Wilford was 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Raea Tanielu homered.

Burns pitched a shutout in Game 2. Avii (3-for-4, double, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs) led the Comets at the plate.  Parker was 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs.

Eldridge will join D-I coaches in Hall of Fame

LAS VEGAS, Nevada  (12-03-11) -- Longtime Palomar coach Mark Eldridge will become the third community college coach in history and the first in nine years to be inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the NFCA announced Friday.

Eldridge will be one of three inductees in the Class of 2012 next December at the NFCA National Convention at Orlando, Florida, along with Patty Gasso (University of Oklahoma) and Donna Papa (University of North Carolina). The announcement was made in Las Vegas, site of the 2011 convention.

Eldridge will become the sixth coach from a California college or university to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, joining Sharron Backus (UCLA, 1991), Judy Garman (Cal State Fullerton, 1993), Sue Enquist (UCLA, 2006), Gary Torgeson (Cal State Northridge, 2008) and Diane Ninemire (Cal, 2009)

Eldridge retired from his second stint at Palomar after the 2010 season, finishing with a 1,083-304-5, record, 29 conference championships and three state titles. He joins Lorene Ramsey ((Illinois Central College, 1992) and Celeste Knierim (St. Louis Community College, Meramec, 2003) as the only community college coaches along-side 54 from 4-year colleges in the Hall of Fame.

Casillas 2nd Comet to move on to Minot State

MINOT, North Dakota (8-19-11) -- Sophomore utility player Marabel "Bella" Casillas (left) became the ninth Palomar softball player to commit to a four-year college this week.

Casillas, a Vista Murrieta High School product, accepted a scholarship to Minot State University. Jen Mathis previously accepted an offer to Minot State.

Casillas is the sister of Alfonso Casillas, the Comets' leading 2010 baseball hitter who was the leading hitter for Lewis-Clark State during the 2011 season.

Previous current Palomar commits have included Danielle LeBeau to Ohio State and Kelli Starr to 2011 NCAA national champion UC San Diego.

 

COMMITS, SIGNINGS, TRANSFERS
Player	Pos.	4-Year College
Danielle LeBeau	RHP/1B	Ohio State
Kelli Starr	OF/RHP	UC San Diego
Monica Villarreal	RHP	Drury
Marissa Valdez	OF	Drury
Regina Norris	OF	Drury
Jen Mathis	1B/C	Minot State
Bella Casillas	UTIL	Minot State
Kristen Tenwolde	RHP	Felican
Jalisa McCarvel	C	Cal State San Marcos

Palomar's LeBeau will sign with Ohio State

COLUMBUS, Ohio (6-23-11) -- Palomar's two-time Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year and two-time all-state selection Danielle LeBeau has accepted a scholarship to Ohio State University.

She'll sign with the Buckeyes this weekend, according to her father, Daniel LeBeau.

LeBeau, a Poway High School product, batted .445 with 19 doubles, four triples, two home runs and 62 RBIs over two seasons for the Comets. She hit .506 in 2010, when she was named to the National Softball Coaches Association first-team All-American, and ..405 in 2011,

LeBeau recorded 21 pitching victories for the Comets for two seasons, compiling a 2.71 earned run average over 209 innings. She went 12-6 with a 2,69 ERA and 115 strikeouts over 114 1/3 innings for the PCAC champion Comets during the 2011 season.

She was recruited by Ohio State to help turn the Buckeyes' program back around. Ohio State is 507-355 under coach Linda Kalafatis in 14 seasons, but finished last in the Big 10 in 2011

LeBeau becomes the 154th Palomar softball player to receive a scholarship to a four-year college since 1980 and the 103rd Comet to earn a Division I scholarship. She's the first Palomar player to go to the Big 10 since Lisa Michaels went on to Purdue in 1987

Palomar has sent 10 softball players on to Oklahoma State and 18 total to the Big 12 Conference. The Comets have sent six players to Tennessee and 10 total to the SEC, but LeBeau will become only the second Palomar transfer to play in the Big Ten. Five Comets have played for San Diego State, their third-most popular destination.

(Above photo by Hugh Cox)

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Starr to NCAA Div. II national champion UCSD

SAN DIEGO (6-27-11) -- Palomar outfielder / right-handed pitcher Kelli Starr has committed to 2011 NCAA Division II national champion UC San Diego.

Starr, a two-year starter for the Comets, hit .336 in her Comet career with seven doubles, six triples, one home run and 33 RBIs.

She also had a 2.55 ERA in two seasons as a pitcher.

Starr was a first-team All-PCAC selection as an outfielder.

ABOVE: Jen Mathis, who batted .366 for Palomar in 2011 with 10 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs and 38 RBIs, has signed with Minot State. -- Photo by Hugh Cox. BELOW: Monica Villarreal, one of two Comets who has signed with Drury University

Sophomore players move on to four-year level

SAN MARCOS (6-1-11) -- Four more Palomar softball players have accepted scholarships to four-year colleges, bringing the list of Comets moving on to the next level to six on the year.

Three Comets signed with NCAA Division II Drury University in Springfield, Missouri  -- Pitcher Monica Villarreal (left) Carlsbad High School, 9-2 in 2011, 1.36 ERA), Marissa Valdez (Valley Center, .398, 10 doubles, 2 triples, 3 home runs, 20 RBIs) and Regina Norris (Mira Mesa, .324, 1 double, 1 triple, 11 RBIs). Jen Mathis (Escondido, .366, 10 doubles, 1 triple, 9 home runs, 38 RBIs) signed with Minot State University in Minot, North Dakota.

Previously, Kristen Tenwolde (Felician College in Rutherford, New Jersey) and Jalisa McCarvel (Cal State San Marcos) transferred at the semester.