SALINAS VALLEY — Softball and baseball teams in South Monterey County are busy these days with the start of divisional play for some teams and pre-season games for others.
The King City softball team has already played seven games in the pre-season and is one game over .500 at 4-3. Last week the Lady Mustangs lost 10-0 at Paso Robles, shut out Gonzales 16-0, and completed the week with a 6-1 win at home against North Monterey County.
“We spread the ball around in the win over Gonzales,” said King City head coach Artie Carrillo. “Lulu Carrillo, Avery Munoz, Crystal Paramo and Katia Slama all had great at bats.”
This week King City hosted Soledad on Tuesday, and will host the Carmel Padres on Thursday afternoon.
In other softball scores last week, Gonzales lost to Soledad, 13-1, and Soledad lost 18-4 at home to Pacific Grove.
The Soledad Aztec baseball team started off the season with a 3-0-1 record but dropped two contests last week to start Gabilan Division play.
According to Soledad head coach Damien Ryan, the Aztecs are a young team this season.
“We’re a very young team and our No. 1 pitcher Ethan Sanchez will be really dominant this year,” Ryan said. “We’re gonna need the young pitchers to come through to help us.”
Last Wednesday, Sanchez had a no-hitter going against Hollister into the sixth inning and just came up short. In Friday’s game with Hollister, the Haybalers built the lead to 7-4 and the Aztecs were ten-run ruled in the sixth inning after falling behind 14-4.
Soledad will host Salinas on Wednesday and travel to play the Cowboys on Friday at Washington Middle School in Salinas.
In other baseball games last week, Greenfield (7-2) lost 4-3 against North Monterey County and lost 11-6 at home to the Condors; and King City (0-5) lost 4-1 to Rancho San Juan and 5-1 at home to the Trailblazers.
In games this week, Gonzales played at Alisal on Tuesday and will host Watsonville on Thursday; King City played at Coalinga on Tuesday and plays at Pajaro Valley on Thursday; and Greenfield played at Watsonville on Monday and hosted Robert Louis Stevenson on Tuesday.
