The Hollister Heat 14U travel team compiled a 2-3 record last
week at the Western National Championships in Stockton, with many
of the players having never traveled before.
Staff Reports
Stockton – The Hollister Heat 14U travel team compiled a 2-3 record last week at the Western National Championships in Stockton, with many of the players having never traveled before.
Out of 11 players, eight Heat players had never experienced the travel aspect that comes with playing in national tournaments, and with the team’s strong performance, Head Coach Dave Dominguez was very pleased with their effort.
“For never traveling before, to make it to nationals, it’s the very best we could have asked for,” Dominguez said. “We did better than I expected.”
The fastpitch softball squad – who scored only one run in their first tournament of the season at a 16U tourney – won via the 10-run rule in their first game at Western Nationals in a 13-3 drubbing of San Luis Obispo.
Helene Escamilla pitched a complete game against San Luis Obispo, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out seven. The game ended in the fifth inning.
Offensively, the Heat connected for eight hits, with Kaylin Dominguez and McKenna Dickson having multiple-hit games. Juliana Morcate, Allie Midland and Nicole Rianda each added a hit, while Paige Miguel, Taylor Wood and Escamilla contributed sacrifice hits.
After Hollister fell to the AfterShox (Oregon) 19-5 – “They were a really good-hitting team,” Dominguez said – the Heat advanced from pool play in second place out of six teams.
Playing in bracketed play on Thursday, the Heat got back to their winning ways with a 9-1 victory over the Pleasanton Phantoms.
Escamilla once again threw six innings, allowed one run on seven hits and struck out four. The hurler was supported with 13 hits, with Dickson, Morcate and Wood contributing a pair of singles, while Rianda had two singles and a double.
Additionally, Escamilla, Midland and Mo Daleo added hits, with Miguel and Wood providing sacrifice hits as well. Miguel and Daleo each supported the team with pitching and strong defense.
“And all the girls did a good job,” Dominguez said.
After the win, though, Hollister fell to the Belmont Blast 9-1, and on Friday, were eliminated by the Santa Clara Sparks.
“It was a real good game until the fifth inning. They opened it up and we couldn’t come back,” Dominguez said of the game against Santa Clara. No score was reported.
Next year, however, only two Heat players – Dominguez and Dickson – will have moved on from the 14U team, leaving many returnees with national tournament experience.
“Next year, almost the whole team except for two are eligible to come back,” Dominguez said. “If they did (come back), they’d be a really strong team. They’ll be older. They’ll be stronger. They’ll know what to expect.
“But they were way better than I expected, from the first tournament until the end, they just got better and better as it went on.”
