Pitching stellar vs. nation’s best in NC: Buckner
CARY, NORTH CAROLINA — Rebounding from a 4-1 loss to national power Orange Lutheran (California) that Farragut led 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Matt Buckner’s Admirals won its last three games during the National High School Invitational featuring 16 of the nation’s best teams.
“I mean, I think pretty much all of our guys pitched well,” Buckner said. “Michael Delph, Cade O’Leary and Braylon Hall, and then (Cole) Draper and (Braxton) Lewis and then (Ryan) Wallace and Stratton Scott. I don’t think any of them pitched bad.”
As a team, “We finished really well, played good defense,” the coach said. “We had enough hitting to win three games. I think the guys that stood out hitting were (Landis) Davila (senior right fielder) and (Jake) Merrick (senior infielder) who really had big tournaments” for FHS (21-5 overall, 8-0 in District 4-4A through Monday, April 15).
O’Leary went four innings versus Hagerty (Florida) Thursday, April 11, allowing no runs, no walks and just two hits (7-0 win) with six strikeouts. Hall, in relief, allowed two hits with three strikeouts.
Edging Wesleyan Christian Academy (North Carolina) 2-1 Friday, April 12, Draper allowed just two hits, no runs and two walks with 10 strikeouts in six innings.
Beating Huntington Beach (California) 5-3 Saturday, April 13, Wallace allowed no runs, three hits and two walks in four innings of work.
