CARY, N.C. - Evan Adolphus retired the first 13 batters he faced and Caden Connor crossed the plate four times as Orange Lutheran High School (Orange, Calif.) defeated Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.), 6-2, to become the first team ever to achieve a three-peat at the USA Baseball National High School Invitational (NHSI) presented by the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance and the Town of Cary.
Orange Lutheran's offense supplied insurance for its starting pitcher Adolphus quickly, plating two runs in the opening frame. With runners on second and third with one out in the top of the first, Garrett Frechette hit a ball just past the outstretched glove of a diving Drew Bowser for an RBI-single to score Chad Born from third, and Connor came around to score on an error by Harvard-Westlake first baseman Tyler Ganus.
The Lancers added a pair of runs in the third inning on another Wolverine error and Jasiah Dixon delivered a two-out RBI-single to left field to make it 5-0 through four complete. Frechette picked-up another RBI-single in the sixth to score Connor for Orange Lutheran's final run of the game.
Harvard-Westlake broke up the perfect game in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a Drew Bowser single and the Wolverines picked up two runs in the bottom of the sixth. George Cooper singled with one out before Pete Crow-Armstrong got on base thanks to a walk. An Adolphus balk moved both runners into scoring position and back-to-back RBIs from Tyler Cox and Michael Snyder cut the deficit to four; but the Lancers defense was too strong on the night, holding on for the 6-2 victory.
Adolphus finished his night with four strikeouts and gave up two earned runs for the victory before being lifted with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Karson Bowen came on and forced a grounder to second base to secure Orange Lutheran's third consecutive NHSI title.
Jordan Kang suffered the loss for Harvard-Westlake, giving up three earned runs in 2.2 innings.
The Lancers unprecedented run of success includes 13 consecutive victories at the NHSI dating back to 2014. Orange Lutheran has not lost in the tournament since a 4-1 setback to Venice High School (Venice, Fla.) on March 27, 2014.
Caden Connor was named the 2019 NHSI MVP after hitting .700 with 9 runs scored and an .800 on-base percentage through four games. Orange Lutheran's Max Rajcic also earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
- MVP: Caden Connor (Orange Lutheran)
- Jag Burden (Huntington Beach)
- Sam Hilboki (Harvard-Westlake)
- Campbell Holt (Desert Oasis)
- Jack Leiter (Delbarton)
- Brennan Malone (IMG Academy)
- Dominic Martinez (La Mirada)
- Gavin Mortenson (Northwest Guilford)
- Robby Post (Hagerty)
- Max Rajcic (Orange Lutheran)
- Anthony Volpe (Delbarton)
