Austin Grebeck helped the Mater Dei offense register another NHSI title.
File photo by Terry Jack
This time there wasn't any drama.
When
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and
Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.) met in the championship game of the inaugural National High School Invitational in 2012, Mater Dei needed a late run to pull out an exciting 4-3 win over the Wolverines.
Brandon Perez, Mater Dei
File photo by Alyson Boyer Rode
This year's win over Harvard-Westlake wasn't nearly as close. Behind the pitching of
Jacob Erickson, Mater Dei (10-1) shut out the Wolverines 4-0 for its second straight NHSI title.
Erickson was the key as he gave up just four hits and struck out eight with only one walk. Meanwhile, the offense got just enough hits to score a single run in the third, two more in the six and a single run in the seventh. The win gives Mater Dei a 10-1 record with 10 straight wins since an season-opening loss to St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.).
Austin Grebeck and
Tyler Adkison provided the offense for Mater Dei as they each had two hits, with Grebeck driving in a run.
Brandon Perez and
Josh Stephen also had a single and an RBI.
Ryan McMahon had the other base hit.
Ezra Steinberg was 2-for-3 for the Wolverines, who fell to 12-3 with the loss.
Venice (Fla.) 5, The Woodlands (Texas) 3
Venice (14-2) scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to outlast The Woodlands (21-2) in the third-place game.
Cooper Hammond had a two-run double in the inning to give the Indians the lead.
Michael Rivera topped the Venice offense with a 2-for-3 effort that included two doubles and two RBIs.
Danny Raynor also had a double.
For the Highlanders,
Charlie Warren was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Milton (Ga.) 7, Roberson (Asheville, N.C.) 4
Milton (10-4-1) scored two runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh for a come-from-behind win over Roberson (5-8).
Jack Thompson,
Alec Cease and
Dalton Ewing each had a double for Milton with Cease driving in two runs.
Christian Brothers (Memphis, Tenn.) 5, Jenks (Okla.) 0
Brandon Wilhelm gave up four hits and struck out four to lift Christian Brothers (11-5) to a shutout win over Jenks.
Michael Halley,
Tyler Lawrence and
Josh Russell each had two hits apiece for the winners.
Eric Kanady was 3-for-3 for Jenks (9-6).
Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 1, Eustis (Fla.) 0
Austin Meadows was 3-for-3 with a double and the only RBI of the game as Grayson (10-7) defeated Eustis (13-6).
Korey Anderson got the win, giving up two hits with five strikeouts and a walk.
Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) 5, Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 4
Bingham (5-3-1) scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh and a run in the bottom of the eighth to hand Cathedral Catholic (8-4) its third-straight loss.
Tj Bowcutt had the walk-off hit, as his single scored Lance Harrison with the winning run. Bowcutt finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while
Braxton McKee was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Sean Bouchard was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored to lead the Cathedral Catholic offense.
Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) 6, Lexington (S.C.) 2
Nick Ohanian limited Lexington (12-3) to four hits and two runs over 6 2/3 innings to get the win for Hamilton (12-3). He struck out three and walked four.
Ryan Peep had a triple for the game's best hit while
Tyler Hill was 2-for-3 for the winners.
Tullahoma (Tenn.) 11, Florida Christian (Miami) 1
Zack Lampkin went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored and
Justin Brown pitched five innings of one-run ball to lift Tullahoma to a win over Florida Christian.
Tyler Burns was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI while
Trey Burks was 1-for-2 with a run scored and two RBIs for Tullahoma.
Ruben Someillan and
Michael Fernandez each went 2-for-3 for Florida Christian.
