May 19, 2025

Playing a best-of-three series in a span of four days puts a premium on pitching for high school baseball teams. In addition to the need to rest between appearances, there are limits on how many innings and pitches any player can throw in a single week.

Fortunately, Hughson has more pitching depth than most schools of its size, a strength that never more important than Thursday afternoon, when the Huskies found themselves tied one game apiece with Wheatland in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 5 semifinals.

With its top two pitchers – Bryce McDaniel and Max Mankins – having started in Games 1 and 2, Hughson turned to junior right-handers Benji Ocegueda and Isaac Lupercio in the deciding contest at home Thursday afternoon.

Ocegueda allowed just two runs and four hits while striking out eight in four innings, while Lupercio whiffed three and didn’t allow a hit in two innings. Offensively, Anderw Fisher and Beau Blake both drove in two runs as the Huskies broke open a close game with five runs in the fourth inning and cruised to a 12-2 victory.

The win moves No. 2 seed Hughson (27-6) into the championship game for the second time in four seasons. The Huskies will meet top-seeded Lincoln (23-9) on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Islanders Field in Lathrop. Lincoln beat Woodland two games to one in the other semifinal.

Ocegueda started half a dozen games this season against some of Hughson’s toughest opponents, but none was more important than Thursday.

“We knew we’d need him. He was prepared for Game 3. He was great,” praised Huskies Coach Charly Garza, who took Ocegueda out after he allowed a leadoff single in the top of the fifth with Hughson ahead 6-2. In came Lupercio, who hadn’t pitched in 15 games but had been working with pitching coach Matt Carrigg to stay ready between games.

“Isaac came in and did a phenomenal job. He was ready,” Garza said.

Hughson’s offense – which had been making solid contact but still found itself trailing 2-1 – finally came alive in the bottom of the fourth inning. Fisher doubled in two runs and Blake followed with a two-run single as the Huskies scored five times. They piled on with three more runs in each of the next two innings to punch their ticket to the championship game.

“We were hitting it hard but right at them,” Garza said. “It was only a matter of time. Teams can’t survive giving up hard contact all the time.”

Earlier in the week, Hughson won Game 1 at home behind McDaniel, who threw a complete game and struck out seven, and Carlos Guizar, who homered and drove in four runs.

McDaniel allowed a home run to Wheatland’s leadoff hitter on the second pitch of the game, then locked down and gave up just four more hits.

“He was outstanding. He had complete control of everything,” Garza said. “He gave up a leadoff homer, then settled in after that. That’s what Bryce brings to us as far as leadership on the mound. He doesn’t get rattled.”

Guizar’s homer broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning and the Huskies scored four more times in the sixth. Blake was 2-for-3 and scored twice.

Game 2 was Wednesday in Wheatland and the Pirates won 7-2, scoring all their runs in the fourth inning.

“It was a combination of some walks and a couple of errors and some hits that found holes,” Garza said. “There wasn’t a lot of hard contact. It just kind of got away from us that inning.”

Isaac Lupercio went 3-for-4 while Fisher and Guizar each had two hits and drove in a run. Twice, Hughson loaded the bases but didn’t score.

The series against Wheatland marked the fourth straight year the Huskies reached the semifinal round. They advanced to the finals in 2022 but were eliminated the past two seasons in the semis.

“The last two years, we were 0-4 in the semis. We didn’t even win a game. We were swept both times. We couldn’t get the big hit at the right time,” Garza said. “This year was different. It was a big relief for the boys. I’m really happy for them.”

Next up is Lincoln, which finished second in the competitive Pioneer Valley League.

“Lincoln is great. They have two high-end pitchers. One of them is going to Santa Clara and the other has hit 14 home runs,” Garza said. “But they’re in Wheatland’s league and Wheatland split with them, so we know we have a shot.”

Hughson is seeking its first Section baseball title in school history in Garza’s ninth season as head coach.