Softball Game Preview: North Salinas Vikings vs. Hollister Haybalers

North Salinas is 1-9 against Hollister since May of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Vikings will head out on the road to challenge the Haybalers at 6:00 p.m. North Salinas' pitching crew has only allowed 3.3 runs per game this season, so Hollister's hitters will have their work cut out for them.

On Wednesday, North Salinas came up short against Monterey and fell 6-3.

Meanwhile, it may have taken nine innings to finish the job, but Hollister ultimately got the result they hoped for on Wednesday. They skirted past Everett Alvarez 4-2. The victory was familiar territory for the Haybalers, who have now won three contests in a row.

Eliana Hatchett spent all nine innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on five hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Grace Peffley, who scored two runs and stole four bases while going 2-for-3. Those four stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Sophia Galindo also deserves some recognition as she launched her first home run of the season.

Hollister's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 6-2. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for North Salinas, they now have a losing record of 3-4.

North Salinas might still be hurting after the 14-1 loss they got from Hollister when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Vikings avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.