Baseball Game Preview: Hollister Haybalers vs. Carmel Padres

The Hollister Haybalers will face off against the Carmel Padres at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a three-game winning streak alive.

On Tuesday, Hollister narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past St. Francis 8-7. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Haybalers have posted against the Sharks since March 8, 2023.

Carmel came out on top against Soledad on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run seventh inning. The Padres were the clear victors by a 10-3 margin over the Aztecs. The result was nothing new for the Padres, who have now won ten contests by six runs or more so far this season.

Matt Maxon was incredible, going 3-for-5 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024. John Beretti was another key player, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with one home run, four RBI, and two runs.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Carmel kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their hit total in three consecutive matches.

Hollister's victory bumped their record up to 16-8. As for Carmel, their win bumped their record up to 16-7.

Hollister beat Carmel 12-9 in their previous meeting back in April. Will the Haybalers repeat their success, or do the Padres have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.