Posted: Apr 11, 2026
White secures 2-1 win over Fullerton
Fullerton
(21-12)
1
Palomar
(32-1)
2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Fullerton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 1 |
|
Palomar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | X | 2 | 3 | 1 |
SAN MARCOS, CA (4/11/2026) – Sometimes the numbers don't seem to add up.
Despite being held to its lowest offensive output of the season, and despite allowing the most hits to its opponent of any game this season, the Palomar College softball team still managed to prevail for a 2-1 victory Saturday over Fullerton College in a nonconference matchup of top-10 teams.
The Comets, ranked No. 2 in the state, were held to a season-low three hits, the fewest since early in the 2024 season. The Hornets, ranked No. 8, managed to collect 11 hits, only the second time this season Palomar has allowed double-digit hits by an opponent. The Comets were held without a hit or a run in five of the six innings they went to bat, but the two runs they scored on three hits in the bottom of the fourth inning held up for the win after Haley White came out of the bullpen and slammed the door on the Hornets in the top of the seventh inning.
White, a sophomore right-hander, became Palomar's third pitcher of the day when she relieved freshman Gianna Burgin with runners at first and second with no outs in the top of the seventh inning. Fullerton had scored one run the previous inning but left the bases loaded while still trailing by one run.
The first two Hornets batters of the seventh reached on a leadoff double and a hit batter before White took over in the pitching circle. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, but White struck out the next batter looking before retiring the final batter on a popup to freshman third baseman Ava Alvarez to preserve Palomar's 20th consecutive win.
While Palomar managed to improve to 32-1 on the season, Fullerton fell to 21-12 with its fifth straight loss. Two of those defeats came against the Comets, who three days earlier rallied for a 7-6 win at Fullerton.
In the second matchup against the Hornets, Palomar had just one baserunner through three innings, that coming on a first-inning walk to freshman right fielder Kailey Dain. It was Dain who ignited the fourth-inning rally by beating out an infield single before she stole second for her team-leading 17th stolen base.
Alvarez followed with a double to center field to easily score Dain with the game's first run. After freshman pinch-runner Natalie Arendt took over for Alvarez on the base path, sophomore designated player Lauren Doepping grounded out to the right side to advance Arendt to third.
One out later, Arendt scored what proved to be the winning run on a single through the left side of the infield by sophomore center fielder Gisele Gonzalez.
Sophomore pitcher Kiara Flaviani started in the circle and held the visitors scoreless on three hits through four innings. The first three batters of the fifth inning all singled, but sophomore first baseman Alexis Huey made a heads-up play after an infield single by picking off the lead runner at third after she strayed too far toward home plate. Sophomore shortstop Nalia Nuanez took Huey's throw and applied the tag for the first out.
Another single loaded the bases before Burgin was called out of the bullpen to relieve Flaviani. Burgin retired the next two batters on a shallow fly ball to Gonzalez in center and a groundout to freshman second baseman Kristina Deal as the Hornets failed to score in the inning despite four hits.
A double, a hit batter and two singles led to a Fullerton run in the sixth inning before Nuanez made a diving stab of a liner to short for the final out of the inning. After the first two batters reached in the seventh against Burgin, White got the call for her first appearance in nine games and retired the next three batters to earn her first save of the season.
In addition to the two baserunners stranded in the seventh inning, the Hornets left the bases loaded in the fifth and sixth innings and finished the game with 13 runners left on base.
Flaviani picked up her second win in two days, improving to 28-1 on the season. The right-hander pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing no runs on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts.
Prior to Saturday's game, the fewest hits the Comets had been limited to this season was six on three occasions. It was Palomar's lowest hit total in the last 116 games dating back to the 2024 season when the Comets were limited to four hits in a game at Fullerton. Palomar was held to a season-low two runs for the third time, with two of those games being back-to-back 2-1 victories at home after beginning the week with a win over Southwestern by the same score.
The Comets return to conference play April 14 with a road game at No. 10 San Diego Mesa at 3 p.m., followed by a home game against Imperial Valley on April 16 at 1 p.m. Palomar leads the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference by three games over Mesa with a 12-0 record and can clinch the PCAC pennant outright with a win in any of its three remaining conference games.