Baseball Game Preview: Hayward Farmers vs. Castro Valley Trojans

Hayward hasn't had much luck against Castro Valley recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Farmers will head out on the road to face off against the Trojans at 4:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Hayward turned things around against San Mateo on Saturday. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Bearcats a 4-0 shutout. That four run margin sets a new team best for the Farmers this season.

Hayward saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jakye Smith, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.

Meanwhile, Castro Valley entered their tilt with San Leandro on Tuesday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They were the clear victors by an 8-0 margin over the Pirates. Considering the Trojans have won six games by more than seven runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.

Scott Baldwin tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on David Colon, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That home run was his first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Owen Seidel, who scored two runs while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.

Hayward picked up their first road victory, bumping their record up to 3-8. As for Castro Valley, their record now sits at 9-3.

Hayward might still be hurting after the 19-0 loss they got from Castro Valley in their previous meeting back in March of 2024. Can the Farmers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.