Diviana Navarro is a BenitoLink Intern Staff Reporter.
Hollister youths Kaylene Borg and Gabe Herbst advanced through Scotts MLB Pitch, Hit, and Run Contest in early June.
The contest started locally through the Hollister Recreation Program. Borg and Herbst came in first place in the local round of the competition in late April. After that, the two competed in the regional contest on May 13 against participants spanning from all of Northern California and came in first place once again. Coming in at the top three competitors of their age group (13-14), they qualified to compete in the semi-finals at AT&T Park on June 3.
At AT&T Park, the two Hollister youths were judged once more on their throwing, hitting, and running skills. Borg came in first place and Herbst came in third for their age group. Those who came in first place became the San Francisco Giants Representatives for the Scotts MLB Pitch, Hit, Run Contest and were then compared to participants from major league ballparks all across the nation.
The top three of all competitors in every age group were then chosen to compete at the MLB All Star Game, though that did not include Borg and Herbst.
Although Borg did not qualify this year, she looks forward for an opportunity to try again next year.
“It was nerve wracking but fun,” said Borg.
In the regional contest, Borg came in first place out of 1200 participants in her age group for softball and Herbst made the top three out of more than 800 participants in his age group for baseball.
“As a mom, I’m really proud she does all this and rocks it,” said Kimberly Borg, Kalyene’s mother.
Results provided by MLB.com
7/8 softball
1st — Zaylee Gutierrez (Oakland)
2nd — Nalani Goulart (Morgan Hill, Calif.)
3rd — Katelyn Stephens (Roseville, Calif.)
9/10 softball
1st — Skylar Linehan (Rocklin, Calif.)
2nd — Isabella Scielzo (Danville, Calif.)
3rd — Kayla Tulowitzki (Morgan Hill, Calif.)
11/12 softball
1st — Mylia Perez (Danville, Calif.)
2nd — Karissa Avila (Roseville, Calif.)
3rd — Lily Smith (Marina, Calif.)
13/14 softball
1st — Kaylene Borg (Hollister, Calif.)
2nd — Alyson Cordoza (Rancho Cordova, Calif.)
7/8 baseball
1st — Grant Stevens (Orinda, Calif.)
2nd — Erick Arevalo Jr. (San Jose, Calif.)
3rd — Frank Campbell (Marina, Calif.)
9/10 baseball
1st — Tristann Trego (Monterey, Calif.)
2nd — Dylan Scott (Orinda, Calif.)
3rd — Isaiah Salas (San Jose, Calif.)
11/12 baseball
1st — Aaron Dar (San Jose, Calif.)
2nd — Hayden Yoast (Oakley, Calif.)
13/14 baseball
1st — Dominic Jost (Oakley, Calif.)
2nd — Joshua Pedronan (San Jose, Calif.)
3rd — Gabriel Herbst (Hollister, Calif.)