2016 NHSI: Chaminade Advances to Championship

CARY, N.C.—Chaminade College Prep (Canoga Park, Calif.) advanced to the finals of the 2016 National High School Invitational after an 8-2 victory over Florence (Ala.) High.

The Eagles jumped ahead early, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first, and three more in the bottom of the second.

Righthander Aidan Dolan tossed 6 2/3 innings for Chaminade, allowing just two runs on six hits and one walk. He also struck out a pair of batters. Dolan threw his fastball in the low-to-mid 80s, and mixed in a deep curveball to keep Florence hitters off-balance.

“I felt great,” Dolan said. “(There was) a lot of run support, so I knew all I needed to do was hit my spots and let the people behind me do their job, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Chaminade is lead by seniors Blake Rutherford, Nick Kahle and Tommy Costello, but the rest of the team has stepped up this week, catapulting the Eagles into the championship game of the most prestigious high school tournament in the nation.

“Everyone from 1-to-9 has done their job, exceeded their jobs actually,” Rutherford said. “From our freshman shortstop (Tyler Olivas) playing unbelievable to our senior captains doing what they’re supposed to do, I mean every single person, including him (Dolan), pitchers are doing their job, making their pitches.

“I think this tournament has brought us closer together as a team. Hopefully we’ll keep this going.”

Rutherford went 2-for-4 in the win, hitting a triple and a single. Behind him, Kahle went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk two runs batted in.

Rutherford and the Eagles will be challenged again in the finals, when they’ll take on the winner of this afternoon’s semifinal matchup between Allatoona High (Acworth, Ga.) and Huntingon Beach (Calif.) High.

Chaminade head coach Frank Mutz said that freshman Jack Whisnant will get the start for the Eagles in the finals. Mutz feels confident with Whisnant on the bump, noting that his fastball already sits in the mid-80s.