Down Goes The Braves; Oilers Storm Back Late To Defeat St. John Bosco
Jared Grindlinger shuts down a high potent Braves lineup, while the offense does just enough in the fifth to secure a Boras Classic victory
The Huntington Beach Oilers (12-3-1) rally in the second day of the 2026 Boras Baseball Classic, defeating the St. John Bosco Braves (11-5) 4-2, in the consolation bracket. This is the second win this season for the Oilers when trailing heading into the fifth inning or later, plus their seventh win versus a Trinity League school in their last 11 matchups since 2022.
Starting pitcher Jared Grindlinger, who arrived at the ballpark at 7:20am for a scheduled 9am first pitch, stayed dialed in all game long. Before settling in, his only blemish came in the first inning on a two-out solo home run to Bosco outfielder Noah Everly. After that, the future Tennessee Volunteer picked up a season-high eight strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings, retiring eight of his final nine batters. He also eliminated a bases-loaded threat in the second, holding Bosco to just the 1-0 lead.
The Oilers offense through four innings was stymied once again, limited to only two hits and a total of four base runners. None of the four batters to reach advanced to second base, which was to the credit of Braves starter Julian Garcia. However, the fifth inning was a revelation for the Huntington Beach bats as Sol Moriyama evened the score with his first home run of the season, shooting a 3-2 fastball over the right field fence. This home run also marked Moriyama's first home run across two seasons on the varsity. The momentum shot through the veins of the entire lineup as the Oilers sent 10 men to the plate, collecting four runs on five hits with the difference makers being an RBI single by Ely Mason and two bases loaded walks to Dane Cunningham and Owen Bone.
Taking a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the fifth, Grindlinger held on as long as he could before manager Benji Medure pulled the plug due to an elevated pitch count. Lefty Christian Haupt picked up right where Grindlinger left off, recording the final out of the fifth on a fly out of Jaden Jackson. He would encounter danger in the sixth with runners on second and third, but another lefty in Tanner Brown would vacate the basepath by striking out pinch-hitter Adam Rosales.
St. John Bosco would impose a two-out rally with three straight hits, netting a run on a Moises Razo RBI single. Brown, who has split his time between starting and relieving, delivered the final blow by forcing Jack Champlin to fly out to right field and end the game.
By the Oilers getting back in the win column, they advance to the next stage of the consolation bracket of the Boras Baseball Classic. Improving to 3-3-1 versus non-league opponents and snapping a scoreless streak of 13.1 innings (courtesy of the Moriyama home run).
Oilers Scoring Plays:
Top 5: Sol Moriyama Home Run (1-1 TIE)
Top 5: Ely Mason Singles to RF, Jason Dunham Scores (2-1 HB)
Top 5: Dane Cunningham Walks, Parker Leoff Scores (3-1 HB)
Top 5: Owen Bone Walks, Jared Grindlinger Scores (4-1 HB)
Stars of the Game:
Jared Grindlinger: 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 8 K (W)
Ely Mason: 3-4, RBI
Sol Moriyama: 1-3, Solo Home Run
Jason Dunham: 2-3, R
Christian Haupt: 1 IP, 0 ER, 1 K
The Oilers will continue their battle in the Boras Baseball Classic tomorrow afternoon (April 9) at 12:00 PM versus the Corona Panthers from Mater Dei High School. You'll be able to listen to all the action during this four-day tournament on hbhsathletics.mixlr.com with the "Voice of the Oilers" Dominick Lorenz. Thursday's game will begin with the pregame show approximately at 11:45 AM, followed by first pitch at 12:00 PM (projected times).
LISTEN TO HUNTINGTON BEACH VS. ST. JOHN BOSCO BRAVES HIGHLIGHTS HERE (CLICK IMAGE BELOW):
