Monarchs take down defending conference champs Comets of Palomar

Sophomore Danny Veloz got his fifth start, holding Palomar to zero runs through six innings.

By Nicholas Orozco, Sports Editor

Monarchs sophomore ace Danny Veloz shutting down the defending regional champs, Palomar Comets powerhouse offense. Danny Veloz went six innings shut out with nine strike outs. (Xavier Dubon | Valley Star)

Valley College (7-7) hosted the southern California conference champions, Palomar College (7-5), on Thursday afternoon and got a massive 7-1 win.

Sophomore pitcher Danny Veloz was given the start against Palomar. Coming off of his start against Pierce on Feb. 16, Veloz threw for six innings and allowed five hits, one walk and struck out nine batters.

“It’s huge, we came in here confident,” said Veloz. “All my stuff felt good in pregame, so I knew I was gonna have a good day.”

Following his lights-out start, Valley’s bullpen continued to hold Palomar. Freshmen Eddie Zapata, Zack Perez, and sophomore Tyler Olivas were given the task that Veloz had started.

Zapata who only faced three batters as he would get one out and walk one batter and hit another, he was replaced by Perez in the seventh. Going into the ninth, Perez would lose his control as he walked two straight batters. Olivas would let up just one run coming from a fielder's choice eventually closing the door on the Comets.

The offense would also outpower Palomar as they would score runs in the first, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings.

Palomar sophomore pitcher Kyle Carr who is projected to be a first-round pick, struggled to hold the Monarchs down. Most notably in the fifth when sophomore Elvis Park would hit a homerun hitting the scoreboard extending their lead to 3-0. Sophomore Bobby Velasco would extend the lead by hitting a single and scoring freshman Luis Torres from second who walked two batters prior.

With the Comets going to the bullpen in the sixth, the Monarchs offense continued to roll as freshman Max Aude would single into center-scoring sophomore Brandon Cuervo.

With Aude on third and freshman Royce Clayton Jr. on first, Olivas at the plate would hit a single into center that score the runners and stretched his hit into a double after the throw came home. Capping off the scoring at 7-0, prior to Palomar scoring one in the ninth.

“With Danny coming back, being a first-team all-conference guy, we believe we can beat anyone in the state with him on the mound,” said head coach Dave Mallas following Veloz’s dominant start.

Valley College will next host Irvine Valley College on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.