CARY, NC—In seven years of the National High School Invitational, 14 teams have faced off in the finals, 12 of which have been from California. There had been one repeat champion—Mater Dei HS, CA, in 2012-2013. Orange Lutheran HS, CA, became the second team to repeat, keeping the NHSI trophy in Orange County with a 9-3 win over Green Hope HS, NC. Green Hope was just the second non-California team in the finals and the first from North Carolina to make it that far.

The Lancers opened the scoring in the fourth inning on an RBI double by 1B Cole Winn. OF/RHP Evan Adolphus, who was Thursday’s hero in Orange Lutheran’s walk-off win against George Jenkins HS, FL, followed with a bloop single that made it 2-0 and an ensuing error made it 3-0. Adolphus then came home himself on another bloop single by Carl Lawson. Caleb Ricketts then singled through the right side, making it 5-0. Adolphus struck again in the fifth with an RBI single.

Green Hope answered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth on a series of base hits, but that’s all the Falcons could muster. Orange Lutheran added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh and then got the Falcons to go in order in the bottom of the inning to seal the victory.

Winn was 2-for-3 with three RBIs while Adolphus was 3-for-4 with three RBIs as well. LHP Lonnie Morris got the win, pitching four innings and allowing three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two. For Green Hope, 1B Connor Knapp was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Here are some more notes from Saturday morning’s consolation games…