2016 NHSI: Topsail Rebounds With Win Over Poly Prep

CARY, N.C.—Topsail High (Hampstead, N.C.) took a 10-1 victory over Poly Prep on Saturday morning, closing out the National High School Invitational with two wins and two losses. The Pirates got a strong performance from junior lefthander Payton Phelps, who allowed one run on four hits in the complete game.

Topsail scored early and often, plating one run in the top of the first before adding three in the third, three in the fourth and three more in the sixth. The Pirates had nine hits in the game, three of which came from senior Chase Riker.

Head coach Chris Blake was satisfied with his team’s progress this week.

“In the first game, just kind of the nerves and stress of the game got to them a little bit,” Blake said of his players. “(We) came back, won our second game, then yesterday had a tough game. Weren’t fired up before the game, didn’t progress runners on the basepaths, that lit a fire under us yesterday and that came out today.”

Phelps also pitched in the opening game of the week, throwing 56 pitches in a difficult loss to Trinity Christian. He rebounded well on Saturday and said that his performance helped build his confidence going forward.

Poly Prep shortstop Daniel Bakst went 1-for-3 with a double, and outfielder Nick Storz went 1-for-3 with a hard fly to left-center field for a home run.