Payton Hawkinson casts a big shadow — figuratively and literally — over the Turlock High baseball program.
The 6-foot-7 seven, 235-pound senior, who has signed to play for Cal State Fullerton next season, is the bell cow of the Bulldogs’ pitching staff. His presence is never not felt.
Junior right-hander Bubba Lujan has stepped out of that shadow into glorious sunlight.
On Wednesday, Lujan allowed just one hit in 6 innings pitched and led THS to a 9-0 victory in the championship game of Oakdale High’s annual Mark Dickens Invitational Tournament.
“I was aware of the no-hitter but I was trying not to focus on it,” said Lujan, who struck out seven and walked just one for the second consecutive start. “My slider was working a lot better today than it has been. I was just finding spots and painting the outside.”
The win was Turlock’s third over the Downey Knights since March 23, the first two coming in Central California Athletic League play when it took two out of three from the league rival. Lujan was the winning pitcher in that March 23 matchup, going 6 1/3 and allowing just two hits. He’s now won his last four starts, posting a 0.30 ERA over that span with 25 strikeouts, eight walks (0.78 WHIP) and just 10 hits allowed in 23 1/3 innings.
“I feel like I’m definitely getting more confident in myself as this season goes on,” said the 6-foot, 150-pounder.
Lujan didn’t allow a hit until the sixth, when Noah Cruz led off the frame with a line drive down the third-base line past a diving Riley McCord, who made a valiant attempt on a ball Gold Glover Nolan Arenado couldn’t have stopped.
“I knew he was working on a no-hitter,” said McCord, who was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. “I felt bad I couldn’t get to that ball.”
It mattered not. The Bulldogs were ahead 5-0 at that point and then blew the game open in the bottom half of the inning with four more runs, the big blow coming when Sean Clark hit a three-run jack onto J Street beyond the left-field fence.
“The team came together as a group this week, especially having back-to-back 8:30 (a.m.) games,” said first-year Turlock head coach Mike Souza. “They came out and played together and spent time together and it brought them closer together. And that’s important. We’ve got a big week next week with Pitman and then Gregori. These next six games are big for us.”
The Bulldogs will host archival Pitman on Monday, then trek across town to face the Pride on Wednesday. Game three will be played on Friday back at Mark De La Motte Field. All games get under way at 4 p.m.
After a non-league matinee on April 22 at Lincoln (Stockton), Turlock starts its final CCAL series April 24 at Gregori (Modesto).
