The Hollister Haybalers will head out to square off against the Monterey Dores at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Hollister will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
Hollister had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the six-run drubbing they dealt Carmel on Thursday. The Haybalers never let the Padres get on the board and left with a 6-0 victory. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Haybalers have posted against the Padres since April 4, 2023.
Trent Roach was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run over seven innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up a single earned run in six consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, Jordy Quezada and Wes Aviles did most of the damage at the plate: Quezada went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double, while Aviles went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. Those two RBI gave Aviles a new career-high. Braydon Barone was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Hollister always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .531. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Carmel only posted an OBP of .269.
The scorekeeper got an easy start on Tuesday as neither Monterey nor Soledad made it on the board until the eighth inning. The Dores fell just short of the Aztecs by a score of 2-1. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last three times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Monterey saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Connor Rose, who went 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Hollister's record now sits at 17-8. As for Monterey, their loss dropped their record down to 9-16.
Monterey's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Hollister has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .451. It's a different story for Monterey, though, as they've only averaged .327. Will they be able to contain Hollister's hitters?
Hollister took their victory against Monterey when the teams last played back in April by a conclusive 10-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Haybalers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
