JSerra and Huntington Beach started the high school baseball season ranked No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in The Times’ preseason rankings. Then they dropped after horrific beginnings. JSerra started 2-6 in Trinity League play. Huntington Beach lost six of its eight nonleague games.
Those early season stumbles appear to be over. The two surging teams will meet on Saturday afternoon (1:30 p.m. Pacific) in the championship game of the National High School Invitational in Cary, N.C.
Huntington Beach (11-6) won its ninth consecutive game, a 3-2 victory over Las Vegas Bishop Gorman on Friday. Dean Carpentier went four for four as the leadoff batter for the Oiliers. Ralphy Velazquez had another hit, making him six for 10 in the tournament. Colin McNiven struck out three in two innings of relief.
JSerra (9-6) defeated fellow Trinity League rival Santa Margarita 4-1 in the semifinal. Dominic Smaldino had a key two-run single and Matt Champion threw a complete game, striking out five and walking none. Charlie Caruso had two hits.
Santa Margarita (13-3) received six shutout innings of relief from Brennan Bauer.
“I think both teams were both highly rated and had great players,” JSerra coach Brett Kay said of early season expectations. “Maybe we read the headlines too much. We weren’t playing good baseball. Maybe it was good to get away from the bubble of Orange County.”
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