HB takes national invitational crown
In its second trip to Cary, North Carolina in the past year, the Huntington Beach baseball team has become champion of the National High School Invitational.
Huntington used a big second inning to move in front of West Hills Chaminade Prep and the Oilers went on to take a 7-2 victory and the tournament title in Saturday’s final at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
After losing four of their first seven games including their Sunset League opener, a key starter (Logan Pouelsen) to a season-ending injury, it’s No. 1 ranking and a top 10 spot in last week’s CIF Southern Section poll, the Oilers regrouped and put on a strong showing against some of the top programs in the country to win the prestigious event.
A year ago, in its first appearance at the invitational, Huntington went 3-1 and reached the semifinals where it lost to eventual tourney champion San Clemente.
Huntington Coach Benji Medure said his team returned home Saturday night to what he said was a “heroes welcome from our boosters and parents.”
“It is a great tournament,” Medure said. “The quality of the competition, the complex, the way that the city of Cary embraces you, plays into making this tournament special. It really elevates you as a player and coach when you get there.
“I am proud of our kids because we went there a little undermanned, especially on the mound. When we got the invite, we planned on pitching [Logan] Pouelsen and [junior Nick] Pratto along with the rest of the staff. So, to win the whole deal with a sophomore [Nate Madole] with not much experience, really makes it special.”
In the title game, Chaminade, ranked fourth in CIF Southern Section Division 1, scored in the opening inning to take a 1-0 lead but Huntington responded by scoring four runs in the second to wipe out the deficit. Junior Hagen Danner (two hits, two runs) started the inning with a double and scored on a safety squeeze bunt junior Trevor Windisch. Senior Dominic Abbadessa drove in a run with a one-out infield single and senior Chad Minato (two hits) completed the inning’s scoring with a two-run single.
Junior Ben McConnell and senior Landon Silver (two hits) each had an RBI for the Oilers who took a 7-1 lead into the seventh.
The Oilers received an outstanding performance from left-handed pitcher Nate Madole. The sophomore gave up two runs on five hits and struck out four in 6 1/3 innings in his first varsity start. Senior left-hander Kobe Anton relieved Madole and finished the game.
“I cant say enough about Nate Madole’s performance on such a huge stage,” Medure said. “The poise he showed was incredible and shows how tough he is. He embodies what our team is all about. We have a lot of talent and they are all ready to step up and contribute in any way that they can. Nate certainly did that.”
Huntington went 4-0 at the tournament. Its road to the championship in the 16-team, single-elimination tournament, began with an 8-5 win March 23 over 2015 New York state champion Brooklyn Poly Prep Country Day School. The Oilers next defeated 2015 Florida state Class 4A champ Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.), 12-7, March 24. In Friday’s semifinal round, they knocked out 2015 Georgia state Class AAAAA semifinalist and eventual NHSI third-place tourney finisher Allatoona (Ackworth, Ga.), 3-1, which advanced the Oilers to Saturday’s title game.
The Oilers went from the NHSI to compete this week at another big tournament, the 32-team Boras Baseball Classic of California. The Oilers are in the South bracket half of the tournament and played their opening game Tuesday. Chaminade also was one of the team’s contending for the South bracket title.
“There is no time to rest or celebrate,” Medure said of his team’s quick tournament turnaround. “This is the grind. We have to lick our wounds and push through this. Everyone has to step up and pull from the same side of the rope.”
Huntington took on Riverside JW North in a South bracket opener Tuesday at Mater Dei and lost to the Huskies, 13-3. The loss put the Oilers at 7-5 overall and into a consolation bracket game Wednesday against Vista Murrieta. The score wasn’t available at press time.
The South bracket section of the tournament continues Thursday and concludes Friday culminating with the 6 p.m. title game at Mater Dei. The South winner will face North bracket champ Davis in the tournament’s championship game at noon May 7 at UC Berkeley.
