BASEBALL / SUNSET LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Hudson Finishes for Fountain Valley

This was somewhat unfamiliar territory for Fountain Valley pitcher Luke Hudson. He was still in the game.

Hudson did his usual tour Tuesday in a 5-1 victory over Huntington Beach at Fountain Valley. He took a lead into the late innings, then was ready to turn things over to others.

“It wouldn’t have surprised me,” Hudson said. “We have such a deep pitching staff.”

This time, it wasn’t needed.

Hudson (4-0) cruised in his first complete game of the season, keeping Fountain Valley (10-1-1, 5-1) tied with Marina for first place in the Sunset League. He pitched a three-hitter with one unearned run.

It was only the third complete game of his career. Two have come against Huntington Beach.

“He was definitely in control, so why take him out?” Coach Ron La Ruffa said.

La Ruffa normally calls on Chris Ponchak to finish things. But Hudson didn’t give his coach a moment’s concern. He threw only 76 pitches and retired the last seven batters after getting double plays to end the fourth and fifth innings.

Huntington Beach (7-6, 3-3), which beat the No. 1-ranked Barons earlier this season, scored in the third, after shortstop Daniel Keller’s error. Jeremy Vidales scored on a wild pitch.

That was about the only mistake Hudson made.

“We didn’t get the bat on the ball all day against him,” Oiler Coach Mike Dodd said. “He dominated us.”

Hudson’s performance gave the Barons time to warm up at the plate.

The score was tied, 1-1, when Ponchak led off the fourth with a double to left. He later scored on Keller’s ground out.

Ponchak increased the lead an inning later, lining a two-run single to left. Matt Roman had a run-scoring triple in the sixth.

In other Sunset League games:

Esperanza 15, Edison 8--Jason Webb went three for five with four runs batted in, including a three-run home run in Esperanza’s 10-run third inning. Omar Oregal went two for three with five RBIs, including a three-run shot in the second for the Aztecs (6-5-1, 3-3).

Marina 5, Los Alamitos 4--Dan Negrete had a two-run double and Josh Roberts grounded out to score the winning run in Marina’s four-run seventh inning. The Vikings improved to 10-2, 5-1.