Read up on consolation action from the third day of the 2024 National High School Invitational.
PUYALLUP 6, ST. JOHNS COUNTRY DAY 2
After being held scoreless in their opening two games, Puyallup (1-2) broke out of its offensive slump in a big way on the third day of the 2024 National High School Invitational presented by the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance as it put up six runs against St. John’s Country Day (1-2) for the win.
St. John’s Country Day scored the opening run in the first inning through a sacrifice fly from Kolt Myers, while starting pitcher Seth Alford racked up three early strikeouts to keep Puyallup at bay.
The Vikings’ batters started to find contact in the third inning, as Thompson reached on a double before a triple from Tristan Ringrose drove him in for the game-tying run.
An error and a hit batter put two Puyallup runners aboard in the fourth inning, with Maxwell Hemingway sending a single into right field to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead. However, the lead wouldn’t last long thanks to an RBI-single from Alford to make it 2-2 in the bottom of the inning.
Puyallup regained the lead in the fifth inning, once again thanks to a triple. This time, Brayden Landry would score Thompson on a drive into left field as the Vikings went up 3-2. They would add to the lead in the next inning, as Jackson Copeland drew a walk with the bases loaded for a two-run cushion.
A pair of Spartans’ errors in the top of the seventh inning put two Puyallup runners aboard, brought home by a single and a fielder’s choice as the Vikings took 6-2 lead and held onto it over the final three outs.
On the mound, Puyallup starter Jett Reed (1-0) earned the win after going the opening four innings, striking out three and allowing a pair of runs. The save would be credited to Maxwell Schweyen, who allowed just one hit over the final three innings and struck out three batters after entering with the Vikings up 3-2.
For the Spartans, Alford went the first 3.1 innings, allowing a run and striking out three batters. He would be relieved by Gavin Coffey (0-1), who pitched for 1.2 innings and took the loss after giving up the lead. Kolt Myers and Madden Williams each pitched an inning down the stretch.
Puyallup’s trio of Maxwell Hemenway, Gage Thompson, and Brayden Landry each tallied two hits as they combined for six of the Vikings’ seven hits. For St. John’s Country Day, Alford led the side with a pair of hits as well.
BISHOP GORMAN 4, TRINITY CHRISTIAN 3
A four-run surge in the fifth inning propelled Bishop Gorman (2-1) to a 4-3 win over Trinity Christian (1-2) on day three of the 2024 National High School Invitational presented by the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance.
Trinity Christian jumped out to an early 3-0 lead thanks to an Aiden Arnett sacrifice fly and a Maddox Lee two-run double, but Bishop Gorman managed to score all four of its runs in the fifth inning to eventually earn the comeback victory. With runners at first and second, Colton Boardman’s RBI double and Nolan Eberwein’s sacrifice fly put the Gaels within one, and then Tyler Aficial come up clutch with a two-RBI single to bring the go-ahead run across.
Hudson Cuilla (1-0) tossed 5.2 innings and surrendered just two earned runs en route to the victory, while Noah Ramos was credited with the save after pitching 1.1 hitless innings to close the game. Bishop Gorman’s Boardman (2-for-3) and Trinity Christian’s Jordan Martinez (2-for-4) and Braden McKee (2-for-2) all turned in multi-hit performances, while Aficial and Lee both turned in multi-RBI outings with two apiece.
FARRAGUT 2, WESLEYAN CHRISTIAN 1
The Farragut Admirals outlasted the Wesleyan Christian Academy Trojans in a defensive clash on the third day of the 2024 National High School Invitational. After plating two runs in the third, the Admirals hung on to their lead and survived Wesleyan’s seventh-inning comeback attempt.
After Farragut’s starting pitcher Cole Draper (1-0) finished his dominant outing, in which he threw six innings, 10 K’s and only gave up two hits, pitcher Braxton Lewis closed the contest for the Admirals. Lewis had trouble finding the strike zone, and the Trojans took advantage and even scored one run that cut Farrugut’s lead in half. Despite the scare, Lewis held his ground, eventually completing the save with back-to-back strikeouts.
Early on, Draper worked three innings of no-hit baseball. With their pitcher rolling, the Admirals strung together two straight extra-base hits and scored their two runs in the bottom of the third. Landis Davila, who finished his day with three hits, roped a textbook double into the gap to quickly put his team in scoring position.
Jake Merrick laced a triple that flew over Wesleyan’s right fielder’s head on the very next pitch. With Merrick flying around the bases to third, the Admirals broke the deadlock and scored its second and final run on a sacrifice hit on the next at-bat.
While his team couldn’t get on the board until the very end, Trojan starting pitcher Hudson Lance (0-1) pitched a complete, 85-pitch game. Despite relinquishing eight hits, he only allowed two earned runs while throwing three strikeouts and five innings of scoreless ball.
CASTEEL 1, ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE 0
In a pitching duel that featured just four hits, a pair of errors would be the key difference as Casteel (2-1) shut out St. John’s College (1-2) for its second win at the 2024 National High School Invitational presented by the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance.
Both starters dueled over a scoreless opening three innings, as Casteel’s Gabe Schneider allowed just two hits and St. John’s Sean McCabe allowed just one. McCabe gave up a pair of walks in the second inning, but was able to navigate through the inning by forcing an infield fly and flyout.
The breakthrough occurred in the fourth inning, as Colts catcher Kade Thompson reached first on a fielding error and then seized on a subsequent throwing error to advance to third, putting himself in position to score on a groundout from Ryan Harwood as Casteel took a 1-0 lead.
Dominic Scelfo (1-0) entered the game for Casteel going into the fourth inning, surrendering just one hit and striking out another as he tossed three scoreless innings to preserve the lead and earn the win. Ryan Harwood took the mound to close out the final inning, earning the save as he forced a pair of ground outs and a fly out to ensure the win.
For St. John’s, McCabe (0-1) pitched through six frames, allowing just two hits and striking out a pair of batters. Despite the only run of the game being unearned, he still took the loss.
Both Thompson and Baylor Denny tallied hits for Casteel, while Colin Gibbs, Nicholas Francuzenko, and Breyden Ruiz-Weiss notched hits for the Cadets.
HAGERTY 10, CHAPARRAL 0
The Hagerty Huskies put on a ruthless, 10-0 outing as they put a run rule into effect, sending the Chaparral Firebirds back to the dugout for the final time in a five-inning game. The Huskies used nine hits and four Chaparral errors to run up the score while starting pitcher Brayden Toro slung a complete game shutout with just one hit allowed.
Toro (1-0) threw an efficient 72 pitches, flamed five strikeouts and kept free passes to a minimum in his one-hitter. Forcing scoreless frame after scoreless frame, he collected a win and routinely frustrated Chaparral’s lineup while his offense used explosive second and fifth innings to run up the score.
While Firebirds starting pitcher Anthony Zadrozny had a solid first inning, the Huskies ambushed Chaparral's starter in the second frame. After Max Murray ripped a single on Zadronzny’s first pitch, the Huskies were off. By the end of the second, Hagerty plated five runs, highlighted by an RBI-double from Michael Pastrana, who tallied two doubles and two RBI’s by the end of the day.
With Zadrozny (0-1) giving up another earned run in the fourth, Chaparral was forced to make its first of three pitching changes of the day. Reliever Brock Little escaped the fourth inning unscathed, but the same couldn’t be said for the Firebirds’ next two relievers.
Hagerty was determined to run up the score even more. The Huskies put up another big inning in the fifth as it used Chaparral errors and an array of singles to plate four and extend its lead to 10-0.
Toro and company put on one final inning of shutout ball in the bottom of the fifth to seal the five-inning run rule. On offense, three Huskies finished the contest with multi-hit games in addition to the team’s three stolen bases.
KEY WEST 4, APEX FRIENDSHIP 3
In thrilling fashion, Key West (1-2) earned a walk-off win on day three of the 2024 National High School Invitational presented by the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance as it defeated Apex Friendship (1-2) in a matchup that went down to the wire.
Key West struck first in the bottom of the second inning, with a single from Sam Holland putting Caden Pichardo in position to reach home on a sacrifice fly from Anthony Lariz.
The Conchs tacked on another two runs in the following inning, taking a 3-0 lead after a single from Pichardo and an error from Apex Friendship allowed runners on first and second to come in.
The Patriots stormed back in the fifth inning, getting the best of Key West starter Jacob Burnham to load the bases with just one out and setting up Brady Byler to drive in two runs with a double into left field. Brayden Bloom proceeded to take advantage of a fly ball into right from Jentz Steiner on the next at-bat, just beating the tag at home from third to tie the game at 3-3.
With the game looking set to go into extra innings as the first two Key West betters flew out and grounded out, Nelson Ong stepped up to get aboard via a single into right. An error on a fly ball from Steel Mientkiewicz would give Ong the opportunity he needed, as the Conchs right fielder turned on the jets to score the winning run from first at the death.
Burnham (1-0) went the distance on the mound for Key West, picking up the win as he struck out seven batters and allowed just three runs over seven innings. For the Patriots, Connor Payne got the start and pitched for three innings, allowing two earned runs before he was relieved for an inning by Ty Kormorner. Simon Martone pitched the final 2.2 innings for Apex Friendship, striking out a batter and taking the loss to fall to 0-1.
At the plate, Pichardo’s two hits led all batters as four other Conchs all notched a hit, as did four players from Apex Friendship.
