Half Moon Bay baseball snuffs out Sonoma Valley Dragons in first round of the Nor Cal Division IV playoffs

Tuesday, the top-seeded Cougars took to their home field for their first-ever Nor Cal game, hosting No. 8 Sonoma Valley.

Behind another sublime pitching effort from Kai Kung, coupled with a monster day at the plate from Riley Jackson, the Cougars earned another first — their 3-0 win over the Dragons was the first Nor Cal baseball win in school history.

“We’re just riding momentum” said Jackson, after going 3 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs. “It’s been one of the best months of my life.”

If all Jackson did was lead the offense, it would have been enough for HMB (21-9). But when you’re one of the best players in the area — he’s already committed to play at Santa Clara University — just playing one side of the ball isn’t enough. Jackson also made the defensive play of the day, a diving stop of a grounder in the fourth inning. He also picked up the save in relief of Kung, pitching the final two innings, allowing two hits, striking out two and preserving the shutout.

“Just doing my job,” Jackson said.

It would be hard to choose an MVP from the game, because as good as Jackson was, Kung might have been even better. He pitched all eight innings in the CCS championship game and got the start Tuesday on just three days’ rest.

Told before the game he would be limited to five innings, in an attempt to give him five more should the Cougars advance to Saturday’s Nor Cal championship game, Kung pitched like it was a continuation of Friday’s game against San Mateo. The southpaw retired the first eight batters of the game, before giving up a two-out, two-strike hit to No. 9 hitter Blake Jerasek.

“On three days’ rest, I felt good,” Kung said. “I was tired coming in (to the game), but got energy from my teammates.”

Clinging to a 2-0 lead, Kung ran into his only real trouble in the top of the fourth. Cayden Waldrop had a one-out single to center. With two outs, Luciano Hernandez hit a sharp grounder between shortstop and third base — but Jackson made a headlong drive to snag the ball, limiting Hernandez to just an infield hit. A flyout to Lane Giannini in center field ended the threat.

In the fifth, Kung retired the side in order, striking out the first two batters of the inning to give him eight on the day before his outing ended.

“I was really digging deep for those last two innings,” Kung said. “That was definitely one of my best performances.”

That just meant it was time for Jackson to take the mound, who picked up his third save of the season.

“Friday, going eight (innings), to me, was pretty impressive,” HMB manager Brian Anderson said of Kung’s performance. “But to do that on three days’ rest was just as impressive.”

The numbers Kung put up were pretty unbelievable. He faced 18 batters and threw first-pitch strikes to 14 of them. Of his 64 pitches, only 14 were balls.

“He was unbelievable,” Jackson said. “He was mowing down every batter he faced.”

Meanwhile, the Half Moon Bay offense did just enough to back Kung’s effort. The Cougars wasted little time in putting pressure on Sonoma Valley (16-13), taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Jackson led off the game with a solid single to right. He went to second on an Ian Ehrhardt sacrifice bunt to bring up Paxton Holden. He hit what looked like a routine grounder to the second baseman, but the ball went right through his legs, enabling Jackson to score.

The left-handed hitting Jackson led off the third inning and worked the count full before launching an opposite-field, solo home run just to the left of the 375-foot sign in straightaway center field to put the Cougars up 2-0.

“It’s nice to see Riley pitched to,” Anderson said. “[That home run] changed the entire game.”

It was only fitting that Jackson had his team’s final RBI, as well, in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Cole Giannini hustled into second for double. Lane Giannini reached on an error to put runners on the corner and Jackson brought home Cole Giannini with a single to right.

“He’s such a good player,” Kung said of Jackson. “I’m peaking. We’re all peaking at the right time.”

Up next for the Cougars is another home game Thursday, when they host fourth-seeded West Valley-Shasta County. Both schools will be holding their graduation ceremonies that day — Half Moon Bay at 6 p.m. and West Valley at 8 p.m. So Thursday’s first pitch is scheduled for noon.

West Valley (23-5) advanced with a 12-1 win over No. 5 Amador-Sutter Creek.

Holden will toe the pitching slab for HMB Thursday in the Cougars’ first-ever Nor Cal semifinal appearance with a chance for their initial Nor Cal championship game appearance.

“Nice to have Kai and Riley,” Anderson said. “When you have one of the best overall pitchers and one of the best hitters, you’re going to win games.”