The Palma Chieftains are taking a road trip to take on the Hollister Haybalers at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Palma is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.9 runs per game this season.
Palma can't be too worried about heading out to take on Hollister: they just beat Carmel at home, who had been dominant on their own field up to that point. The Chieftains put the hurt on the Padres with a sharp 9-1 victory on Saturday. Surprisingly, this marked the Chieftains' third straight game in which the away team has come away the victor.
Manny Dorantes
| 04/26/25 @ Carmel | 9 |
| 04/17/25 @ Soledad | 1 |
| 04/10/25 vs St. Francis | 5 |
| 04/03/25 @ Monterey | 6 |
| 03/27/25 @ Salinas | 10 |
Manny Dorantes made a big impact no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out nine over six innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in March. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Rocco Razzeca, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played. Johnny Carnazzo was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Hollister had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Friday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-3 win over the Bells. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Jake Esparza was excellent, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one RBI. Donovan Price also deserves some recognition as he scored his first runs of the season.
Hollister always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .529. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Bellarmine College Prep only posted an OBP of .267.
Hollister's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-7. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.3 runs over those games. As for Palma, their record is now 16-5.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Palma hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .320. However, it's not like Hollister struggles in that department as they've averaged .318. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Palma came up short against Hollister in their previous matchup back in March, falling 8-5. Can the Chieftains avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
