The Hollister Haybalers will square off against the Willow Glen Rams at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The last three games Hollister has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
On Friday, Hollister had just enough and edged out North Salinas 5-3. The Haybalers haven't had any issues with the Vikings recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive victory against them.
Eliana Hatchett
| 05/02/25 @ North Salinas | 2 |
| 04/23/25 vs Watsonville | 1 |
| 03/03/25 @ Encinal | 1 |
| 05/06/24 vs Stevenson | 1 |
| 04/25/24 vs North Salinas | 1 |
Eliana Hatchett made a big impact no matter where she played. She tossed seven innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off seven hits. Hatchett was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one triple. Those two hits gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Avery Chavez, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI. She has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times she's played.
Meanwhile, Willow Glen put another one in the bag on Thursday to keep their undefeated season alive. Their pitchers stepped up to hand Ann Sobrato a 10-0 shutout. Considering the Rams have won ten matchups by more than six runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Hollister, Willow Glen also got a great game from a two-way player: Alanna Clincy. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out nine over four innings pitched. Clincy was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, Willow Glen let Katelynn Dilbeck and Maia Mendoza run wild. Dilbeck went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI, while Mendoza went 2-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. That triple marked the first that Mendoza has hit this season. Another player making a difference was Lyla Aguayo, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one triple and two RBI.
Willow Glen was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .423. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ann Sobrato only posted a batting average of .125.
Willow Glen pushed their record up to 18-0-1 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.4 runs over those games. As for Hollister, their win bumped their record up to 12-7-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Hollister has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Willow Glen struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
