IN THE RANKINGS

Basic Academy: Unranked in the MaxPreps Preseason Top 100
Hanover High School: #18 in the MaxPreps Preseason Top 100
Orange Lutheran High School: #6 in the MaxPreps Preseason Top 100
The First Academy: #19 in the MaxPreps Preseason Top 100

NHSI HISTORY

Basic Academy:

Basic Academy is making its first appearance in the NHSI in 2022.

Hanover High School:

Hanover returns to the NHSI for the second time in program history this year after competing in the 2018 event. The Hawks posted a 2-2 record in 2018, losing their first two games before finishing with a pair of victories.

Orange Lutheran High School:

The three-time defending champions are back for their sixth overall NHSI appearance. The Lancers own a 13-game NHSI winning streak, having gone undefeated each year since 2017 and most recently beating Harvard-Westlake School (Los Angeles, Calif) in the 2019 title game. The program, which made its NHSI debut in 2012, is 15-4 all time in the event.

The First Academy:

The 2014 champions will make their third appearance in the event in 2022. After beating Clovis High School (Clovis, Calif.) in the 2014 title game, The First Academy participated again in 2016, winning its tournament opener before dropping a pair of one-run games. The program owns a 5-3 all-time record at the NHSI.

PROSPECT PROFILES

Ben Barrett (The First Academy) is a two-way threat, spending time as an infielder and a right-handed pitcher. Barrett batted .333 in 2021, cranking a pair of homers and driving in 27 runs. The Florida State commit also made 16 appearances on the mound last season, going 10-1 with a 1.62 ERA and striking out 101 batters in 60.2 innings pitched.

Mikey Romero (Orange Lutheran) had a dominant season at the plate in 2021, posting a .362 batting average and driving in 15 runs. The infielder added a homer, five doubles, and 16 runs scored in 20 games for the Lancers. Romero is committed to play collegiately at LSU.

USA BASEBALL ALUMNI PROFILES

Karson Bowen (Orange Lutheran) is a four-time Team USA alum and a two-time gold medalist. He made his USA Baseball debut with the 2016 12U National Team, batting .714 (15-for-21) and cranking four homers at the 2016 COPABE Pan Am "A" Championships. He then had two stints with the 15U National Team, playing in four games en route to a gold medal at the 2018 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-15 Baseball World Cup before batting .381 (8-for-21) as Team USA won gold at the 2019 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier. Most recently, Bowen played in five games in the 2021 18U National Team’s friendship series against Canada. Bowen, a TCU commit, also participated in the 2018 14U National Team Development Program (NTDP).

Mason Neville (Basic Academy) played for the 2016 12U National Team, helping Team USA earn silver at the 2016 COPABE Pan Am “A” Championships. Neville started all nine games for the stars and stripes, batting .440 (12-for-25) with six homers and 16 RBIs. The southpaw also made three appearances on the mound, throwing 2.1 scoreless frames while striking out six. The Arkansas commit has since participated at the 2018 14U NTDP and played in the 2021 Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League

Two-time Team USA alum Ben Reiland (Orange Lutheran) played for the 2017 12U National Team and the 2019 15U National Team, winning gold medals both times. The outfielder led the 12U National Team with a .643 (18-for-28) average, driving in 10 runs en route to gold at the 2017 WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup. He followed that by playing in five games for the 15U National Team as the stars and stripes clinched gold at the 2019 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier. The sophomore also participated in the 2019 14U NTDP.

2019 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier MVP Louis Rodriguez (Orange Lutheran) has played for three USA Baseball national teams. Rodriguez made his debut for the red, white, and blue with the 2016 12U National Team, pitching two innings and driving in three runs at the plate as Team USA earned silver at the 2016 COPABE Pan Am “A” Championships. He then played for the 2019 15U National Team, earning MVP after starting and winning the gold medal game against Panama, allowing just one run on two hits in five innings. The TCU commit played for the 2021 18U National Team, leading the pitching staff with 15 strikeouts over seven innings in a friendship series against Canada.

Two-time Team USA alum Mikey Romero (Orange Lutheran) made his debut with the stars and stripes in 2016 as a member of the 12U National Team. Romero batted .515 (17-for-33) at the 2016 COPABE Pan Am "A" Championships, adding a homer and 13 RBIs as Team USA captured a silver medal. The infielder later played for the 2019 15U National Team, competing in all nine games of the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier and batting .320 (8-for-25) to help Team USA secure a gold medal. The LSU commit has also participated at the 2018 14U NTDP and played in the 2021 PDP League.

Oliver Santos (Orange Lutheran) made his Team USA debut in 2021, pitching for the 18U National Team. The southpaw threw a scoreless frame for the stars and stripes as they beat Canada in the 2021 friendship series. Santos, who participated in the 2021 PDP League, is committed to pitch at Duke.

MATCHUPS

Orange Lutheran vs. Hanover (Wednesday, April 6 – 10:00 a.m. ET)

The Lancers haven’t lost an NHSI game since 2014, and will bring a veteran-laden squad with eight Division I commits to Cary looking for their fourth-straight title. Hanover’s roster is also full of future college stars, topped by ace southpaw Levi Huesman, who could get the nod in an attempt to take down the reigning champs in the tournament opener.

The First Academy vs. Basic Academy (Wednesday, April 6 – 2:30 p.m. ET)

The First Academy returns every pitching win from their 2021 state championship team, bringing depth in a key position to the tournament. We’ll certainly see Ben Barrett at the plate, but he also might be on the mound against a Basic Academy squad that features a pair of SEC commits (Mason Neville and Ty Southisene).

ROUND 2

The team that emerges from this pod will take on the school that advances from Pod 2, which includes Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.), D.H. Conley (Greenville, N.C.), Yucaipa (Yucaipa, Calif.), and Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.).