Hagen Danner’s curveball helps send Huntington Beach past Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 8-2

For those wondering what it might be like playing in the Southern Section Division 1 baseball playoffs in one month, all you needed to do was take a peek at Huntington Beach the last two days in the Boras Classic.

Coach Benji Medure turned loose his one-two punch of Nick Pratto and Hagen Danner, and what a duo they are. Pratto struck out 12 in a 4-1 win on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Danner struck out 10 in six innings, allowed one hit and belted his eighth home run in an 8-2 victory over Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

“This is what this team is built for _ two games a week,” Medure said.

The Oilers advance to a semifinal game on Thursday at 6 p.m. at Santa Ana Mater Dei. Medure still has lots of pitching depth left, but make no mistake about it _ the Pratto-Danner duo is something else.

Danner had a terrific curveball going. Top prospect Hunter Greene was 0 for 3 on the day and struck out in his final at-bat.

“It definitely felt good,” Danner said of his curveball. “I have to have that in my arsenal.”

Trevor Windisch hit an inside-the-park home run and No. 9 hitter, Dylan Ramirez, had two hits. Logan Pollack hit a two-run home run for Notre Dame in the seventh.

Huntington Beach will play Corona Santiago in Thursday’s 6 p.m. semifinal at Mater Dei. Santiago defeated Mater Dei, 8-4. Jacob Shanks had three hits and two RBI.

Orange Lutheran advanced to a 6 p.m. semifinal at JSerra with a 6-5 win over El Toro. Brenden Avventino had two RBI. The Lancers will play Mira Costa, a 3-0 winner over Vista Murrieta. Joey Acosta threw six shutout innings.

In consolation games, La Mirada defeated Bishop Amat, 4-1. Kevin Kendall had two hits and Jared Jones struck out six in six innings.

Chatsworth defeated JSerra, 8-7, in eight innings on an RBI single by Brandon Bohning. Josh Medina had two hits and two RBI. Corona defeated Gahr, 4-3. Aliso Niguel defeated Damien, 6-2.

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