Nobody picked the Hollister softball team to win the Gabilan Division this year. Perhaps third place or fourth. But they finished first. Nobody tabbed them to be in the Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs. Perhaps a lower division. But the Balers were in the top four of the Open playoffs, which comprises the eight best teams in CCS.
A NorCal slot was a possibility and again the Balers accomplished more than figured. They competed in Division II and upset Vanden 9-2 in their opener before losing to top-seeded Alameda 7-3. That placed Hollister as the No. 11 team in northern California.
“We had nine freshmen on the roster (of 18 players),” coach Andrew Barragan said. “The team exceeded expectations. We were picked to finish third or fourth in league. We were in the semifinals of the CCS playoffs and the semifinals of NorCal.
“They all stepped up. The main reason was Sidney (Esparza). Without her in the circle, we’re not close to where we got.”
Freshman hurler Sidney Esparza was dominant on the mound. She pitched all the big games and nearly all the innings for the year. Over 132.1 innings, she had a 2.80 ERA and struck out 166 batters.
She was also a key member of the batting order. In fact, she personally hit more homers (six) than she allowed (three). Her average of .429 was second highest on the team and she had four triples and six homers.
There were big seasons from many people on the team.
Hollister’s roster had just four seniors, and they were all major contributors. Cal Poly-bound Ashlee Io shined on defense at the crucial shortstop position and sparkled all across the board on offense. Io hit an amazing .475, scoring 23 runs and knocking in 18 RBIs. Power was illustrated by three homers, speed by 16 steals and a power/speed combo by four triples.
Avery Chavez contributed in many ways. She starred as catcher, handling Esparza and other pitchers. She had a strong and accurate arm to control an opponent’s running game and added stellar defensive plays, including jumping out quickly to grab bunts to throw out batters.
Chavez hit .371, with 27 runs scored and four homers and led the team with 24 steals.
Madalyne Rodriguez provided important infield defense and hit .392 with 17 runs scored and 18 RBIs.
De’zeyer Fa’agai was a big power threat and hit for average. She was at .387 with 19 RBIs and four homers, including two on the road in a big victory over Salinas, a key game in the league race.
The infield and outfield defense cannot be overestimated.
“I trust my defense,” Esparza said, after a mid-season game. “I know they can make plays behind me.”
In league action, the Balers went 12-3 in the competitive Pacific Coast Athletic League, Gabilan Division. Hollister beat out contenders Palma, Salinas and Monterey for the crown. In the CCS Open Division playoffs, the Balers beat Valley Christian 2-1 and then lost to eventual champion Archbishop Mitty 6-1. That left them in the third slot in the whole CCS.
On June 2, the fifth-seeded Balers opened NorCal play by travelling up to Fairfield to take on the No. 4-seeded Vanden Vikings.
Hollister jumped on top early, scoring twice in the first and adding three more in the second inning. Io homered and went 2-for-3 and Valerie Cuen and Rodriguez each had two hits. Chavez delivered a triple and Fa’agai knocked in two runs.
Esparza tamed the Vikings, allowing just one run while the Balers built a 9-1 lead through 6.5 innings.
In the semifinals, the Balers headed north again. Hollister jumped on top of Alameda with a first-inning run, as Chavez singled and came around to score. However, the Hornets replied.
With two outs in the second, Molly Cho singled in two runs. In the third, Alameda pieced together a walk and two doubles for another couple scores.
Trailing 4-1, Hollister rallied, as the bats came alive in the fourth inning. Esparza singled to right center and Rodriguez singled to center. Fa’agai crushed a double to the left center field fence to knock in two and narrow the score to 4-3.
But Alameda pitcher Julia Lambert, with a 1.41 ERA on the season, bore down and found another gear. The Balers could not piece together a good threat and the Hornets added insurance runs in the last of the sixth.
“It’s sad my senior season is over,” Io said. “Their pitcher got to us. She had good movement on the ball.
“Overall, I’m really grateful for my four years here. It’s great. The coaching staff is great. And the support in the community. Every single game, our stadium is filled up. There is a lot of love.”
And they travel well too. Up in Alameda for a Thursday afternoon game, the crowd count showed bigger numbers for Baler Nation than for the Hornets’ crowd. Hollister could not bring back another victory and the season-ending loss stung, but it was an incredible year.
“We felt we matched up pretty good today,” Barragan said. “They strung a couple hits together and we couldn’t string our hits together. It’s tough to lose but I’m proud of the girls. And I’m looking forward to the next three years.”
