Comets reach 40 wins for first time in program history with 11-5 victory over Santa Barbara

SAN MARCOS, CA (5/15/2026) -- The No. 1 seed Palomar College Comets made history Friday afternoon at Bob Vetter Field. With an 11-5 victory over No. 14 Santa Barbara City College in game one of the 3C2A Regional Finals, Palomar became the first team in program history to win 40 games in a season, improving to 40-5 overall.

The Comets wasted no time staking their claim. Palomar sent eight batters to the plate in the first inning and scored five times before the Vaqueros had recorded a single out. Michael Rodda singled home the first run, Justin Tucker grounded in another, Preston Conklin singled to plate a third, and Rainn McMillan capped the frame with a two-run single to make it 5-0. The second inning added three more — Elijah Stephens doubled and scored on a Rodda single, and Conklin tripled to clear two more — and the game was effectively decided before Santa Barbara could find its footing.

The Vaqueros chipped away with two in the fourth and two in the sixth to make it interesting, but Palomar answered in the seventh. AJ Klubeck came off the bench to pinch hit and singled home a run, and Stephens followed with a two-run single to push the lead back to six and put the game out of reach.

Stephens was exceptional on both sides of the ball, going 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI on the offensive end. Conklin finished 2-for-5 with three RBI and a triple, Rodda went 3-for-5 with two RBI, and McMillan went 2-for-3 with two RBI. The Comets put up 15 hits and committed zero errors against a Santa Barbara team that came in as the best defensive unit Palomar had faced all postseason.

Stephens also earned his fourth win as a starter on the mound, working six innings and allowing four earned runs while striking out seven. Cody Cappelletti was brilliant in relief, striking out five and allowing just one run over three innings.

Santa Barbara fell to 28-17. William Matuszak and Wylan Nelson each homered for the Vaqueros.

Palomar will be the designated visiting team in tomorrow's matchup with first pitch at 1 p.m.