Corona, Huntington Beach suffer semifinal losses at National High School Invitational; Livermore Granada secures another shutout in North Carolina

Corona and Huntington Beach, the past two champions of the National High School Invitational, both suffered semifinal setbacks Friday at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

Venice High of Florida scored four runs in the fifth inning against top-ranked Corona, which had its 24-game winning streak halted – including last season – in a 5-0 loss.

Huntington Beach surrendered two unearned runs following a throwing error with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning and suffered a 3-2 setback to Trinity Christian Academy from Florida.

Venice (21-3) and Trinity Christian Academy (21-3) will meet at 3:30 p.m. EDT Saturday in the first all-Florida final at the event since 2022.

It marks only the second time since the tournament began in 2012 that a California program did not advance to the final, with Stoneman Douglas defeating St. Johns Country Day in the 2022 championship game.

Corona (16-1) was attempting to become the first back-to-back winner since Orange Lutheran captured three consecutive championships from 2017-19.

Huntington Beach (14-2), which won titles in North Carolina in 2016 and 2023, was looking to match Orange Lutheran with a third National High School Invitational crown.

Huntington Beach baseball team | Photo courtesy of National High School Invitational

The Oilers led 2-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, with Tyler Bellerose surrendering a one-out single and a walk. Ethan Porter was brought on in relief and walked another batter to load the bases, before a throwing error on a ground ball resulted in Trinity Christian Academy scoring the tying and winning runs.

The Conquerors took a 1-0 lead in the first when Brady Harris drove in Jordan Martinez with an RBI double.

Huntington Beach responded in the third inning, with Trent Grindlinger’s double driving in CJ Weinstein after he walked. Porter gave the Oilers the advantage with an RBI double to center to score Grindlinger.

Trevor Goldenetz had three hits for Huntington Beach, which was making its sixth semifinal appearance in tournament history.

Tyler Ellis struck out eight in six innings for Trinity Christian Academy, with Brennan Bachtell, Jr., earning the win in relief after pitching a scoreless seventh with two strikeouts for the Conquerors.

Corona suffered its first setback since a 2-0 loss April 20 last season against La Mirada, before concluding the year with eight consecutive victories, capped with a CIF-Southern Section Division 1 title.

The Panthers endured their first loss against a team outside of California since a 10-2 setback in 2023 against Bishop Gorman from Nevada.

Corona baseball team | Photo courtesy of Boras Classic

Venice scored a run in the fourth against Corona starter Ethin Bingaman when Jackson Lucas produced an RBI single to score David Dubrule, who had a leadoff double.

Dubrule doubled again in the fifth, driving in Carter Cox and Josh Mauro for a 3-0 advantage for the Indians.

Graham Houston delivered an RBI single to score Dubrule, with Lucas driving in the fifth run on a double.

Dubrule, Houston and Lucas all had two hits for Venice and accounted for all five RBIs.

Sophomore pitchers Kaden Poplin and August Backman combined to allow five hits, with two walks and a pair of strikeouts for the Indians.

Anthony Murphy, Brady Ebel, Seth Hernandez, Trey Ebel and Jesiah Andrade all had hits for Corona.

Bingaman surrendered seven hits and walked a batter, striking out four in five innings for the Panthers.

Livermore Granada 5, Edwardsville (Illinois) 0: The Matadors (12-3) scored all five runs in the first two innings Friday and advanced to the consolation final round at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

Peyton Richards had two hits, including a double, scored a run and drove in another for Granada.

Chase Nadeau and Tyler Palma also had RBIs, with Mikey Boyd scoring twice plus Joey Marasco and Tyler Kennedy adding runs for the Matadors, who benefited from six walks.

Alex Piscotty pitched six innings, allowing six hits and two walks, striking out a batter for Granada, with Braden Makley surrendering a hit and recording a strikeout during a scoreless seventh in relief.

Since losing its tournament opener 10-3 against Corona del Sol from Arizona, Granada hasn’t allowed a run in back-to-back victories against Holly Springs from North Carolina and Edwardsville (7-5).