May 23, 2025

For four years in a row, Hughson’s baseball team has been one of the Division 5 powerhouses in the Sac-Joaquin Section. The Huskies have reached the semifinals each season and the championship game twice, including Wednesday night at Islander Field in Lathrop against Lincoln.

Sadly, Hughson still is looking for its first title after suffering another heart-breaking loss, 6-5, when Lincoln’s Eli Duff hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning for what turned out to be the winning run.

But the most pivotal moments of the game really occurred in the bottom of the third with Hughson holding a 2-1 lead. The Fightin’ Zebras had scored once against Hughson starter Bryce McDaniel. With a runner on second base and Lincoln’s best hitter – senior Landyn Plaut – up, McDaniel pitched carefully. Plaut already had one hit and first base was open. A walk wasn’t the worst outcome, which is what happened.

The game then turned on the very next pitch, which was popped up to right field. It was a routine play – until it wasn’t. Hughson’s outfielder dropped it, allowing one run to score to tie the game and leaving two men still on base.

Lincoln (24-9) made the error hurt even more when the next hitter, Dylan Knell, socked a three-run home. Suddenly, Hughson went from leading 2-1 to trailing 5-2.

“We tell the kids all the time that when two teams this good play, usually it’s the team that makes the most mistakes that loses,” said Hughson Coach Charly Garza. “We should have been in the dugout still ahead, but you never know.”

To their credit, the Huskies (27-7) didn’t quit after the emotional gut punch in the bottom of the third. They immediately rallied for three runs in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 5 apiece. Andrew Fisher had a two-run double and another run scored on a wild pitch.

Hughson’s first runs came in the third on a single by Max Mankins and a bases-loaded walk to Benji Ocegueda. Carlos Guizar also had a pair of hits for the Huskies.

McDaniel ended up pitching a complete game for Hughson, allowing only five hits, though two of them left the yard.

The Huskies put the potential tying and winning runs on base in the top of the seventh, but a strikeout ended the game … and the season.

Garza said the finality of the loss made for an emotional scene after the game.

“Honestly, it was pretty rough because of we’ve been so close so many times,” he said. “I told them to focus on what they accomplished. Some of these kids, I’ve been with for four years. I’ve watched them mature emotionally, physically and spiritually. They’ve learned how to handle it when things don’t go their way. I couldn’t be prouder of them. They represented themselves, their families and Hughson.”