Williams pitches Hughson into decisive Game 3 against Capital Christian

Top-seeded Hughson High School turned in a convincing 8-2 victory over Capital Christian of Sacramento on Wednesday to force a decisive third game in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoffs at Billy Hebert Field.

The Huskies (19-3) dropped the series opener 3-2 Saturday. The series finale was played later Wednesday. The winner advances to the final Monday against Dixon.

Hughson left the bases loaded in the first and fourth innings, and for a time, it looked as if those lost opportunities might come back to bite them.

But the Huskies tacked on runs in the later innings to put it out of reach.

“Sometimes it’s just hats off to the other team and look to the next inning,” said Hughson coach Mike Bava, in his fifth season. “We’re more concerned going out and answering when the other teams scores, because good teams are going to make runs, maybe two, just like in basketball.”

Dylan Horner’s single drove in Dakota Draper to give Hughson a 1-0 lead in the first. The Huskies made it 4-0 with three in the third. Grant Williams’ single to right scored Horner, who led off the inning with a double. Lane Cobb, who reached after he was plunked by a pitch, scored on Tyren Vargas’ sacrifice fly to center. Williams made it 4-0 by coming home on a wild pitch.

Fourth-seeded Capital Christian (25-5) struck back with two runs off Williams, getting an RBI triple from leadoff hitter Taylor Garcia and an RBI double from A.J. Mendoza.

“My ball got a little bit flat, and they were able to square up on some pitches,” said Williams, a junior right-hander who pitched a complete game, allowing two runs while scattering six hits. “But I wanted to go the distance to help save our bullpen.”

After Capital Christian halved the deficit in the third, Hughson loaded the bases for Horner, who laced a single to center that brought home Josh Pack. Draper, trying to score from second, was thrown out at home by center fielder Tiegen Jones.

Hughson added runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

“It would’ve been nice to win that first game,” said Williams, who relied mainly on his fastball, mixing in an effective change-up. “But we’ve got the momentum, and we’re swinging the bats well right now.”

In Game 3, Capital Christian scored three runs in the first, all with two outs, to take control. Huskies starter Vargas hit Mendoza with the bases loaded to force in the first run, and Marques Buford followed with a two-run single.

In the second, No. 3 hitter Jaylund Johnson drilled a two-run double to left to give the Cougars a 5-0 lead.

The Huskies bounced back with two runs in the bottom of the second. Following consecutive two-out walks to Vargas and Cooper Gipp, Pack delivered a two-run single.

Capital Christian led 5-2 after two innings. Check back at modbee.com to see the results from Game 3.

This story was originally published May 20, 2015 at 8:08 PM with the headline "Williams pitches Hughson into decisive Game 3 against Capital Christian."