Serra swings past Burlingame as annual tradition returns to Washington Park

“It was super fun,” Hui said. “It’s a longstanding tradition. So, obviously it means a lot to us.”

Hui led the way, as Serra’s new leadoff man went 3 for 5 with two doubles and five RBIs. The senior is pacing the team in batting average while slashing .483/.531/.724 through the Padres’s first eight games.

After hitting toward the bottom of the order through Serra’s Central Coast Section Division I championship run last season, Hui was looking to move to the top of the order this season. Only, he had the No. 2 spot in mind.

“Honestly, I’ve never really liked hitting leadoff,” Hui said. “I’ve always kind of liked hitting second. ... I’m not really a typical leadoff. I don’t like to take a lot of pitches ... so I’m kind of trying to step into that role. ... So, I’m looking at it as a new challenge, and I’m honestly really liking it a lot.”

Serra’s got plenty of thump hitting behind Hui in the order. Senior Jack Wessell and junior Aaron Minton scorched back-to-back RBI doubles to get the Padres on the board in the first. Then in the second, Hui stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and promptly roped a double down the left-field line. Junior William Walbridge and Wessell followed with back-to-back sacrifice flies to make it 7-0.

Burlingame (4-2) chipped away at the lead, though, cutting the score to 7-4 while Serra pitchers Kelley Crawford and Aiden Waters still had a combined no-hitter going. The Panthers gamed for a single run in the second when courtesy runner Kai Watanabe stole third and scored on an errant catcher’s throw into left field. Then in the third, a hit batsman and three straight walks pushed across a run, before Slade Flores’s infield chopper was mishandled to score two more Burlingame runs.

Then in the fourth, Hui got the chance to hit with the bases loaded again, and this time cleaned house — blasting a long double into the right-center gap that was just out of the reach of Burlingame’s rangy center fielder Grayson Howard, and cleared the bases for a three-run double.

“We’re definitely a young team,” Hui said. “Most of the lineup doesn’t have a lot of varsity experience. So, we’ve kind of been putting it together as we go.”

The Panthers broke up the no-hitter in the bottom of the fourth when junior Charlie Cheng bunted for a single. It proved the right time to break up a no-no with a bunt, as Burlingame went on to score three times in the inning, and came within one batter of bringing the tying run to the plate.

That’s when Serra summoned freshman Michael Ohman out of the bullpen. The left-hander stranded two runners in scoring position by notching back-to-back strikeouts. He went on to fan seven through 2 2/3 innings of work to pick up the win, improving his record to 3-0 in six varsity appearances.

“He was great tonight,” Hui said. “He’s just ice cold.”

Through 12 shutout innings of work, Ohman has made a splash, allowing three hits and four walks with 22 strikeouts.

“I’m super impressed,” Hui said. “He’s super poised. I know I wouldn’t have been that poised as a freshman. He’s never really shaken on the mound. ... The team loves him, obviously, and I hope to get to see him shove this year.”

Minton added three hits with a double and an RBI for the Padres, while junior Donovan Friedland was 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Mark O’Grady recorded Burlingame’s only other hit, while senior cleanup hitter Liam Philibosian picked up two RBIs with a pair of bases loaded walks.