Posted: Mar 21, 2026
Comets prevail on HRs by Alvarez, Huey
Long Beach
(17-8)
2
Palomar
(22-1)
5
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Long Beach | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
|
Palomar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | X | 5 | 9 | 2 |
SAN MARCOS, CA (3/21/2026) – For the second straight game and just the fourth time all season, the Palomar College softball team was limited to single digits in hits. Fortunately for the Comets, two of those hits cleared the fences and accounted for all five runs in a 5-2 victory Saturday over Long Beach City College.
A three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning by freshman third baseman Ava Alvarez erased a 1-0 Long Beach City lead, and sophomore first baseman Alexis Huey added a two-run insurance blast in the sixth as the state's No. 2-ranked team improved its overall record to 22-1.
Long Beach City came into the nonconference contest riding a four-game win streak, but the defending South Coast Conference champions were limited to four hits by winning pitcher Kiara Flaviani, who went the seven-inning distance for her state-leading 19th win while dropping LBCC to 17-8 on the season.
Flaviani retired 14 of the first 15 batters she faced, getting help from sparkling defensive plays from Alvarez at third and freshman Kailey Dain in right field. The Vikings took advantage of a two-out single and an infield error to score an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning as the visitors assumed a 1-0 lead.
Held scoreless through four innings for the first time this season, the Comets left the bases loaded in the first inning and stranded four additional baserunners before breaking through in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dain started the rally with a leadoff single to left field, and one out later sophomore center fielder Gisele Gonzalez added a single up the middle.
Alvarez, who hit a two-out double to center in the third inning, then went opposite field with a line drive down the right-field line which carried over the fence for her second home run of the season and a 3-1 Palomar lead.
The Comets increased their advantage in the sixth inning, which freshman Delaney Smith led off with a pinch-hit single to left. Two batters later, Huey deposited her team-leading 14th home run of the season over the fence in straightaway center field, giving the hosts a 5-1 advantage.
Long Beach City managed to score an unearned run in the top of the seventh inning on two singles and an outfield error, but Flaviani retired the final two batters on lineouts to sophomore left fielder Taylor Armstrong to preserve Palomar's 10th straight win.
Flaviani had no walks and three strikeouts while limiting a Vikings team which averaged 12 runs in its previous four games to just a pair of unearned runs.
Huey and Alvarez each had two of the Comets' nine hits, with Huey continuing to lead the state in batting with a .578 average.
Palomar returns home March 24 for a 3 p.m. home contest against San Diego City in a Pacific Coast Athletic Conference matchup. The Comets, who lead the PCAC with a 9-0 record, have a nonconference road game the following day at El Camino starting at 1 p.m.