Sports

Infield defense is crucial in softball and Hollister’s Emma Gutierrez has been a key component for the Balers at second base.  Force plays at second, catching a throw and turning to fire to first base for a double play, fielding hard-hit grounders and line drives...

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...

Hollister’s Maddy Bermudez really got it going for the Balers the last few years. At the leadoff position in the batting order, she was a hit machine, a doubles machine and a speed machine. On defense, she shined in center field as part of...

The 2024 Gilroy Rodeo broke records for highest attendance and the most contestants participating in the event’s seven-year history on Aug. 9-11.  More than 1,000 contestants competed and performed in the local rodeo, which is run entirely by volunteers and returns all of its annual...

In the last two seasons, Hollister softball registered a 52-8 record, won two league championships and notched stellar playoff results, including a Central Coast Section title, a NorCal title and a state No. 1 rating in 2023.  Shortstop Mia Phillips was a key component in...

Gavilan College baseball star Louis Zulaica, a Morgan Hill resident, is on his way up. The Rams’ shortstop was recently named Coast Conference South Division MVP and First Team All-State after a breakout season. In the recently concluded spring campaign, he hit .394, with a...

A major rule change involving usage of electronic devices in high school softball has been approved by the National Federation of High Schools’ Softball Rules Committee. The change will go into effect with the upcoming 2024-25 school year softball season, which will take place...

After the Covid years and a bit of a dry spell, the Hollister Haybalers softball program is back with the elite of the Central Coast Section, Northern California and the entire state of California.  The last two years have positioned coach Andrew Barragan’s program at...

A young and developing Hollister baseball team caught fire late in the season.  The Balers started the year just 1-5 in non-league action and began league play shakily too, going just 4-6 in the early stages of Pacific Coast Athletic League, Gabilan Division competition. Hollister...

Softball teams from Gilroy and Christopher high schools came together with members of the community for the annual Sarah Villar Memorial Game on May 8.  The event honors and memorializes Villar, a former Gilroy softball pitcher and graduate who was killed by a drunk driver...