March 20, 2025

Talent and experience are a lethal combination in any sport, and that certainly describes this year’s Hughson High baseball team.

The Huskies – the defending Trans-Valley League champions -- are 9-2 overall and 2-0 in the TVL, tying them with Escalon for first place.

Hughson’s offense has generated some eye-popping stats already this spring, none more impressive than the numbers put up by senior shortstop Beau Blake. He’s batting .556, with four home runs, 19 RBIs and 15 runs scored. In Wednesday’s 15-0 win over Ripon Christian – a game called after five innings by the mercy rule -- Blake was 4-for-4 and scored three times.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever coached anyone with as much as bat speed and plate discipline,” said Coach Charly Garza. “He’s a strong kid who lives the game. He’s just a baseball player.”

But Blake is by no means a one-man wrecking crew.

Junior second baseman Lawson Aviles – a transfer from Pitman who didn’t play baseball last year – is hitting .324 with three homers, 10 RBIs, 15 runs scored and a team-leading seven stolen bases. Against RC, he had three hits and scored three times.

“He can do it all,” Garza said. “He’s just a tremendous athlete.”

Senior catcher JC Lupercio is batting a team-best .562 with one homer while living up to his 2024 TVL Defensive Player of the Year reputation with his work behind the plate.

“He’s just doing what he does every year. He’s a catalyst and a leader in the dugout,” Garza said.

The Huskies – averaging more than eight runs a game – have solid hitters up and down the lineup. In Wednesday’s victory, Andrew Fisher and Benji Ocegueda both knocked in three runs. In all, there are seven players hitting above .300, including senior first baseman Carlos Guizar at .375.

“This team is special,” Garza said. “They have a lot of experience. It’s a veteran team. Carlos just played his 100th varsity game and JC has played 98.”

On the mound, Hughson’s ace has been senior right-hander Max Mankins, who combined with Dominic Aguiar on a four-hit shutout of Ripon Christian. Mankins – who will attend the Air Force Academy on a football scholarship in the fall – is also pretty good at baseball. He’s hitting .324 at the plate and is 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 20.2 innings as a pitcher.

“He’s been tremendous,” Garza said.

Three juniors – Bryce McDaniel (2-1, 3.41 ERA), Isaac Lupercio (2-1, 3.18 ERA) and Ocegueda (1-0, 1.08 ERA, 17 strikeouts in 13 innings) – also have been impressive. Ocegueda, in particular, has caught his coach’s eye.

“He’s been great. He’s a big, strong kid who put in a lot of work in the weight room and also worked on his mechanics,” Garza said.

The hard-throwing Aguiar has been the closer and is “always ready whenever I need him,” Garza said.

Hughson began the season by winning its first six games. Interestingly, its only two losses came on the same day on its home field – March 4 – when the Huskies fell 5-1 to Buhach Colony and 3-2 to Golden Valley. The unscheduled doubleheader came when the Buhach Colony game was moved because of weather concerns.

“What’s worse than having a bad day? It’s having a bad day when you scheduled two games,” joked Garza.

Since then, it’s been three straight victories heading into Friday’s TVL rematch at home against Ripon Christian.

A year ago, the Huskies won the league title on the final day of the regular season. They finished 26-4 overall and made it to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V semifinals. Garza believes this year’s squad has the talent and experience to go even further.

“Escalon, Ripon and Hilmar are all very good,” he said. “Their records may not say it, but they’ve played some tough teams. … I expect us to be right there. We have a lot of really good hitters this year and our pitching is deep.”