It takes a full team to win at softball, but some defensive positions stand out as crucial to success, and catcher is at or near the top. As Andrew Barragan’s Hollister Haybalers rose to the elite in California the last two years, they were backstopped by a superstar in Dominique “Dom” Oliveira.
Oliveira, who graduated this past June, provided excellent defense behind the plate while adding superb offense to the Baler attack.
During the last year, she signed to play in college at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, beginning this fall. The Gaels are the defending West Coast Conference champion and competed in the NCAA regionals in May.
In the last two seasons, Hollister won 52 of 60 games, captured two Pacific Coast Athletic League, Gabilan Division titles and had major success in the Central Coast Section and NorCal playoffs, including a CCS Open Division title and a NorCal title in 2023 when they were ranked No. 1 in the state.
Over that two-year span, Oliveira hit. 369, with 58 hits in 157 at-bats. She drove in 53 runs and collected two homers, six triples and 10 doubles, while holding down the key fourth slot in the batting order.
Teammates and coaches especially loved her defense and her team-oriented positive energy.
“At catcher, Dom Oliveira has really come into her own,” said Barragan, early in the 2024 season. “She has one of the best arms in CCS. Nobody steals on her.”
Defense against steals is crucial in softball, which often is a “small-ball” sport where a single run can decide a game. A catcher needs a quick release, a strong arm and very accurate throws.
A catcher must also be agile to block or snatch wild pitches and have great hand-eye coordination, as any pitches getting loose can mean an extra base. Additionally, they direct infield play, call cut-offs, field bunts, direct infielders on plays and bases to throw to, and most obviously, communicate with the pitcher on type of pitch and location.
“One thing I will extremely miss about the Haybalers is Dominique Oliveira’s high energy, Cal-bound shortstop Mia Phillips said. “She is a great player and knows what it takes to be a leader.”
At catcher, Oliveira was virtually a combination of a basketball team’s point guard and a football team’s quarterback. She was a vocal leader on and off the field and kept the energy and spirit moving in the right direction.
“I always aimed to ensure that practices and games were fun for my teammates and me,” Oliveira said. “Although we faced challenges during the season, it was filled with laughter, strong bonds, tough practices and successful games.”
Hollister ran the table in 2023, smashing St. Francis 4-0 to win the CCS Open Division title and beating Oak Ridge, Whitney and St. Francis again to capture the NorCal Open Division crown.
“After an incredible junior year, maintaining our position as NorCal and CCS champs was a big challenge,” Oliveira said. “Despite the pressure, we strived to apply the same winning strategies, but achieving back-to-back victories was no easy feat.”
The Balers surged late to capture another league title, and fought hard in the Central Coast Section and NorCal playoffs. In the wild 2024 post-season, Hollister fared similarly to other powers, including St. Francis, Archbishop Mitty, Whitney, Oak Ridge and Amador Valley. Everyone won some and lost some.
Oliveira grew up as the youngest of five siblings. She said that resulted in a competitive streak, with a challenging yet supportive environment within the family. She was introduced to softball at age nine by close friend Mylah Dunn.
Oliveira played with the Hollister Heat and later the Blackjacks. Training and coaching were key to her development. Oliveira especially cited David Sotelo, Annie Aldrete Paquin and Michaela Decker.
At the NCAA signing ceremony early in the 2023-2024 school year, Oliveira thanked her parents, siblings and coaches.
“From the coaches who have pushed me to be my best to the teammates, who have always had my back, and my family and friends who have supported me every step of the way, I am truly thankful,” Oliveira said. “Your encouragement and countless hours you’ve dedicated to helping me improve mean the world to me. I couldn’t have made it this far without all of you.”
Her graciousness was also stated more recently, as the dream of NCAA D1 softball has become a reality.
“I am deeply grateful to all the coaches who have supported me on my softball journey, especially Coach Andrew and the rest of the Hollister High coaching staff,” Oliveira said. “I would also like to thank Coach Rick Monroy, Coach Troy, Coach Gabe, Coach Ito, and the entire KPI coaching staff, as well as the coaching staff at Saint Mary’s College. Their support has helped me achieve my dream of playing at the D1 level!”
Now it is on to college. The spring 2024 NCAA Tournament appearance was only the second in St. Mary’s history. The team matched their single-season record for wins (30) and it was the best mark in school history.
“I cannot wait to continue playing softball at Saint Mary’s College, where I will have the opportunity to compete against other talented players like Mia Phillips, Maddy Bermudez and Emma Gutierrez,” Oliveira said. “I have played alongside these girls for a long time, and I’m thrilled to continue our softball journey together and wish them the best of luck!”
St. Mary’s will be getting a fantastic softball player, with leadership qualities and more. Just check Oliveira’s social media. Along with softball, it shows her training intensely for improvement, enjoying teammates and teaching the sport of softball to young kids.
“Oliveira has shown an ability to play just about every position on the field, though primarily playing behind the dish,” SMC coach Garnett said. “(She) has been an ultimate Swiss army knife at Hollister High School, and will hope to be the same for the Gaels.”
