Ripon High suffered a rare lopsided home loss Friday to Hughson.

“That’s a good ball club,” said coach Robert Vernon after his Indians suffered a 17-4 setback in six innings to perhaps the top team in the Trans Valley League.

The two teams will play one more time this season.

“We must try to put this game behind us and re-group,” Vernon added.

At first, Ripon (5-2 in the TVL, 15-5 overall) appeared to be the team that might run away with this rubber match.

Second baseman Alex Gonzales and Mikaela Ferreira got the 4-0 rally going with a single and double, respectively.

Both scored on Cara Brown’s two-bagger. Jennica Baldwin blasted a two-run home run to add to the early lead.

Hughson (7-1 in TVL, 13-1 overall) answered back with three runs in the next frame. Unfortunately for the Indians, this was just a prelude of things to come.

The Huskies surged ahead in the third, taking advantage of three walks, two hits and a hit batter.

Savannah Ahumada delivered a two-hit single to center. Hughson made it 7-4 when Courtney Thornhill, who was also the pitcher of record, came through with a run-producing single.

Gonzales’ unassisted double play kept damage to a minimum for Ripon.

In fifth, the Huskies, who went down in order an inning earlier, quickly loaded up the bases following three straight walks. An error scored one run while Hannah Alcorn’s grand slam broke the game open.

Ahumada also homered in that 10-run rally.

“We were overpowered by their hot bats,” Vernon said.

He brought in Darian Vandermaaten, who hadn’t pitched in a game in three years, in for a relief appearance in the sixth.

She subsequently retired the three batters she faced in order.

Ripon will travel to Hilmar on Wednesday.