Hollister pitcher Trent Roach had a season for the ages in 2025. He was untouchable, with a 0.00 ERA in 78 innings, no earned runs allowed and only one unearned run yielded. Roach, who also hit .525 for the season and was named to the Cal-Hi All-Star state baseball team, now heads to big-time college ball at Cal.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound hurler graduated from Hollister after having led the Balers to one of the biggest victories in school history.
Hollister’s strong baseball program has a record of success. But a Central Coast Section title eluded the Balers for a long time. It was one thing or another, often a strong and deep West Catholic Athletic League foe.
But on May 31, Hollister made history, capping a 21-9 season by winning the school’s first CCS baseball championship with a 3-0 win over Wilcox. Roach threw a complete-game two-hit shutout in that win over the Chargers.
Wilcox entered the title contest having won 16 of their last 17 games, while averaging six runs a game. They only once had failed to tally four or more. That all ended when facing Roach, who retired them 1-2-3 in six of the seven innings.
“I’m kinda at a loss for words,” Roach said after the victory. “We stuck to our plan. We got all the runs we need. The defense—I can’t ask for more behind me. It’s great to win this with these guys, who will be lifelong friends.”
On a hot sunny afternoon at San Jose’s Excite Ballpark, Hollister scored the decisive runs in the bottom of the third inning. Gavin Rodriguez walked, Roach ripped a single to left and Jake Esparza doubled to left to score two. Esparza later came home on a Wes Aviles base hit.
“It’s surreal,” said Baler coach Michael Luna, after the win. “We’ve been in the title game eight times since 2007. This is the first title won in Hollister history. Our pitching keeps us in every single game. And we’ve been taking care of the ball defensively.”
Only in the fourth did Wilcox even put one man on base. The Chargers loaded the bases with two out, but Roach ended the threat by getting a fly out to end the inning.
“My top memories of high school baseball would be all the team dinners and winning the first-ever CCS championship for the baseball team,” Roach said. “Our success over my four years would not be possible without coach Billy (Aviles) and coach (Jose) Luna’s advanced knowledge in the game.”
Aviles coached the Balers through the spring 2023 season. Luna took over and has overseen the last two Baler squads, including the historic 2025 campaign. Both coaches know Roach well and all that he brings to the table.
“He has a lightning bolt right arm,” Aviles said. “He can throw all four of his pitches for a strike in every count and he throws north of 90 (mph). He also hits for average and for power. He is a one-in-a-million kid.
“One of his strengths is that he is such a hard worker. He is a gym rat. Baseball is his first love and he is extremely passionate about the game. He is close with his buddies. Definitely a team guy, he gets along with all the guys.”
Roach’s parents helped him get into baseball at a young age. Both were fine athletes too. Father Kevin Roach played football at Aragon High in San Mateo. Mother Heather Roach played volleyball, softball and basketball for Hollister High.
“I started playing baseball when I was three years old, hitting off the tee and playing catch with my dad and mom in the backyard,” Roach said. “When I was a little kid, baseball was a way I could learn important life lessons while having the most fun I’ve ever had.
“Without even knowing, I was learning how to come back from failure, how to bond with peers, and most importantly it gave me a goal and dream that I will chase for the rest of my life.”
Roach credited the influence of coach Jordan Paroubek and his father Tom Paroubek for helping him mature and improve both on the field and off.
“I’ve known Trent since he was probably about 10 years old,” Jordan Paroubek said. “Trent started by working with my father, Tom, who did a great job of instilling values—hard work, competitiveness, straighten the mind and body. Trent ran with those values and that’s propelled so much of his success.”
Roach got off to a strong start in his Baler baseball career. As a freshman, he was on the 2021-22 team that won the Pacific Coast Athletic League, Gabilan Division with a 19-2 record.
“I ended that year as the closer and had around 13 innings while getting us out of very stressful situations,” Roach said.
His sophomore season was impressive.
“Coming off my freshman year, I was very confident and felt dominant on the mound, while also hitting in the DH spot pretty consistently,” Roach said. “During the 2022-23 season we were once placed No. 9 in the state and were on a roll going into the CCS D1 playoffs. I got my first taste of West Catholic baseball against St. Francis of Mountain View for the first round of playoffs where I pitched us onto a 6-1 win over the Lancers.
“We would later go on to lose to Valley Christian in the championship, which set the tone for the rest of my high school career.”
Junior year was different. Roach had Tommy John surgery and missed nearly the entire season, returning only to do some hitting at the end of the year. He came back strong in 2025 and capped it with the CCS title game masterpiece.
Roach began connecting with recruiters in the summer before his sophomore season. He focused on the state of California and decided on UC Berkeley in the winter break of his sophomore season.
“With the relationships that easily grew with the coaches at Cal, the academic opportunities, the campus, and knowing I’d be close to home, I decided to make my commitment,” Roach said. “At Cal I plan to major in Economics or Business and later on, specialize in real estate.”
Roach heads to Berkeley after an incredible career at Hollister. The highlight was the CCS championship. More successes await.
“I’m fired up to see his next chapter at Cal Berkeley, I know he will keep stacking up the accolades,” Jordan Paroubek said.
