Having never trailed all season, No. 1-ranked Corona High faced its first bout with adversity on Wednesday in an opening game of the National High School Invitational baseball tournament in Cary, N.C.
Down by two runs with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Panthers (15-0) pulled out an 8-7 victory over Queen Creek (Ariz.) Casteel.
Ethin Bingaman delivered the walk-off two-run, two-out single on a 2-and-2 count. Before that, with a runner on first and two outs, Trey Ebel walked. Jesiah Andrade singled on a two-strike pitch to load the bases. Anthony Murphy, on a 3-and-2 count, drew a walk to make it 7-6. That’s when Bingaman, during a nine-pitch at-bat, finally hit the ball on a line drive to left field to deliver victory.
Corona started its No. 4 pitcher, Mason Sims, and now will have Seth Hernandez, Bingaman and Jason Gerfers set to pitch in the remaining games.
Huntington Beach 5, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Poly Prep Country Day 4: The Oilers got the walk-off win in the eighth inning on a fielder’s choice in Cary, N.C. They trailed 3-2 going to the bottom of the seventh and tied the game on a sacrifice. In the bottom of the eighth, they scored two runs to advance. Ethan Porter had three hits, including an RBI single in the eighth to tie the score.
Venice (Fla.) 3, La Mirada 1: In the bottom of the eighth inning, Eddie Zaun hit a two-run home run to defeat La Mirada in a first-round game in Cary, N.C. Maverek Russell had two hits for La Mirada (13-3).
St. John Bosco 5, Santa Margarita 3: James Clark continued his torrid hitting in Trinity League play with two hits and three RBIs for the Braves.