North County Times

SAN MARCOS -- Bobby Shore set the tone early Friday, retiring the first 12 Citrus College hitters, and No. 1-seeded Palomar beat the 17th-seeded Owls 10-2 to open the Southern California Community College Baseball Regionals.

Shore combined with relievers Aaron Edwards, Travis Strong and Tyler Grihalva to throw a five-hitter as the Comets (33-11-1)Â took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three first-round series.

Shore (10-1), a sophomore right-hander, allowed two runs and four hits over six innings. He also struck out seven.

"Bobby Shore was great early, and our bullpen was great late," Palomar coach Buck Taylor said. "Our offense did an excellent job of executing. And our defense was outstanding."

Palomar had 13 hits off five Citrus (25-17) pitchers, led by sophomore right fielder Matt Carvutto (2-for-4, three RBIs) and freshman catcher B.K. Santy (2-for-5, two RBIs).

The second game of the series is at 11 a.m. today, with an additional game to follow, if necessary. Sophomore right-hander Sam Jew (9-1), who signed a Division I national letter of intent with Arkansas State on Thursday, will pitch for Palomar.

With Palomar leading 4-2, Santy broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-run double to left that drove in Alfonso Casillas and Brenden Webb, both aboard on walks. Terrance Buchanan drove in Santy with a single to center later in the inning to put the Comets up 7-2.

Palomar had five hits in the eighth to score three more runs and turn the game into a rout. Carvutto contributed a two-run single in the inning and Webb had an RBI double.