Jared Grindlinger caps off Huntington Beach High

Jared Grindlinger was proper where he needed to be Saturday afternoon at the end of his last high faculty baseball recreation — on the mound with a likelihood to clinch a championship for the orange and black.

Huntington Beach had a 5-0 lead with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning when the Oilers’ extremely touted left-hander got here in to relieve Jared Marchbank. The cushion was narrowed to two with runs scored on an error, an uncaught third strike and a wild pitch, but Grindlinger struck out the fourth batter to tie the bow on his group’s 5-3 victory over San Diego Cathedral in the Southern California Regional Division I remaining.

“I knew I’d be facing the top of their lineup and those guys are all great players but I was ready for it,” Grindlinger said. “To do this with my best friends who I’ve grown up with my entire life means everything to me.”

Grindlinger graduates Wednesday with lots to be proud of and a lot to look ahead to. The 6-1, 170-pound pitcher/outfielder reclassified in February to make himself eligible for next month’s Major League draft and is a potential first-round decide. Having just turned 17, the University of Tennessee commit has a brilliant future, but he needs to savor his remaining days on campus following in the footsteps of older siblings Bradley and Trent, who had been back at their alma mater Saturday to cheer on Jared.

“I’ve known him since he was in second grade and he has two brothers who played for me too,” Oilers coach Benji Medure said upon wrapping up his twenty sixth season. “Jared loves to compete and he fell in love with the culture and the family aspect of our program.”

In the first spherical of regionals on Tuesday, Grindlinger went 4 for 4 at the plate with a double, a home run, two singles and a run batted in plus he pitched three scoreless innings with 5 strikeouts in a 10-3 victory over Patrick Henry in San Diego. Two days later, he singled, tripled and scored two runs in an 11-3 semifinal victory at Corona.

Grindlinger blasted the fourth pitch he noticed over the right-field fence to put the Oilers up 2-0 in the first inning Saturday — a lead they held until tacking on three more in the underside of the sixth. He also patrolled left discipline and snared a line drive to end the top of the fourth.

Huntington Beach pitcher Jared Grindlinger hits a two-run home run in the first inning during a 5-3 win over San Diego Cathedral in the Southern California Regional Division I remaining on Saturday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

“He came with two really good fastballs but then he hung a changeup and I knew I got it,” Grindlinger said of his forty first hit and second homer this season. “I’ve been working on discipline to look for my pitch.”

Medure famous Jared’s similarities to Bradley, the oldest, and Trent, whom he could soon be taking part in with in Knoxville.

“Bradley was a terrific pitcher and Trent was a super hitter and they’re all very close,” Medure said. “I think Jared picked Tennessee because he wants to be with his brother.”

He could possibly be a Volunteer with his brother Trent next season.

“Jared’s got the best traits from both me and Bradley,” said Trent, who just accomplished his first season in Knoxville, where he made the SEC All-Freshman group as a catcher. “He has an aura about him and I’m super proud of him.”

“Jared’s a lot better than I was at his age,” admitted Bradley, a 2023 Huntington Beach alum who performed at Long Beach State but is getting into the switch portal. “He’s barely 17 and getting to the upper 90s. He’s more polished, plus he’s a lefty.”

The hardest half about skipping his senior 12 months to graduate early was not the additional courses he had to take but realizing he can be lacking out on a likelihood to see his coach attain another milestone.

Jared Grindlinger, middle, stands with his older brothers Trent, left, and Bradley after Huntington Beach’s 5-3 win over San Diego Cathedral in the Southern California Regional Division I remaining on Saturday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

“He was a freshman and the second game that season I got my 400th win and Jared said, ‘I’m gonna be part of 400 and 500,’” added Medure, who is 28 wins away. “That year, we won 23 and 25 the next year. We had it all planned that 500 would be for the CIF title. When he decided to reclass to make millions of dollars he told him, ‘I feel bad I can’t win that 500th game for you.’ That’s the kind of kid he is.”

Grindlinger credit his mother for serving to him meet all of his tutorial necessities and his brothers for instructing him every part he is aware of about the game they all play.

“Whatever happens — whether it’s the draft or college — I’m good,” he said.

Medure is thrilled how the season ended contemplating he didn’t consider his group would even be in the regional bracket after shedding early in the part playoffs. He is grateful for the three seasons he acquired to coach his famous person.

“Jared came in to let us know that scenario was on the table and every coach in that room said, ‘Awesome!’” Medure recalled. “He was scared to tell us because he thought we’d be upset. Usually it’s done to buy another year, not to lose one. Of course I’d like to coach one of the best players in America for four years, but ultimately I want him to do what’s best for him.”

In the Division II remaining, Henry Mann had two hits and scored two runs while pitchers Ryan Williams, Gavin Guy and Grant Horsley mixed on a four-hitter to lead host Newport Harbor over Bakersfield Christian, 5-1.

Glendora scored 5 runs in the underside of the sixth inning to beat Kaiser in the Division III title recreation. Riley Cooper had a two-RBI double and John Seader, Tanner Grable and Jude Garcia each had two hits and an RBI for the host Tartans (23-11).

Alex Alvarado hit an RBI triple and Alberto Arteaga had an RBI double for Kaiser.

Sei Nagashima went 4 for 4 with a double, two singles and a home run and Alex Cannon and Eric Yamashiro also doubled to energy North Torrance past San Diego Francis Parker 9-3 in the Division IV remaining.

Pitcher Joseph Banuelos has seven strikeouts in 2⅔ innings for the seventh-seeded Saxons (19-16).

Softball

Chula Vista Mater Dei 3, La Habra 1: Sunny Sosa had three hits and Arri Romero pitched a three-hitter with 4 strikeouts as the top-seeded Crusaders (31-3) gained the SoCal Regional Division I championship. Milee Valencia had an RBI single and Georgia Rickenbacker and Mireya Gonzalez each added a hit for the Highlanders (25-9).

Riverside Prep 1, Great Oak 0 (forfeit): The Silver Knights are Division II winners by default in what would have been a rematch of the Southern Section Division 3 remaining in which Riverside Prep overcame an early two-run deficit to win 4-3.

San Bernardino 11, Arroyo Valley 9: Xochitl Sasser had three hits and three RBIs and Alyssa Arredondo added two hits and three RBIs for the sixth-seeded Cardinals (19-15-1), who gained the Division V regional crown and avenged an 8-6 extra-innings loss in the Southern Section Division 8 remaining. San Bernardino trailed 9-6 before scoring 5 runs in the top of the sixth. Delilah Pacheco had two hits and two RBIs and Audrina Reyes pitched a full recreation, giving up 10 hits and placing out one Hawks batter.