The Topsail baseball team closed the 2016 National High School Invitational with an impressive 10-1 win over Poly Prep (Brooklyn, NY) at the USAB Baseball Complex.
After going 2-2 at the invite, the Pirates improved to 8-3 overall heading into spring break for schools in Pender County.
Topsail left 15 runners on base in the setback to Bingham High School (South Jordan, Utah) on Friday, but the Pirates wasted no time to get on the board in their finale in Cary on Saturday morning. Josh Madole brought in the game’s first run on a sacrifice fly in the first.

An error, small ball and pair of walks aided a three-run rally for Topsail in the third. Madole reached base with one out on a Poly Prep miscue and Chase Riker singled to put runners on first and second. A bunt base hit by Aaron Beach loaded the bases, while a balk during the next at-bat made it a two-run advantage. After Jake Luchansky was hit by pitch, Cameron Kimrey and Tyler Ording were issued back-to-back free passes to build a 4-0 lead.
Extra base hits by Madole and Riker with nobody out in the fourth added two more runs to the cushion. Sam Hall was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Madole doubled to put men in scoring position. A triple by Riker scored two and Beach drove in Riker on a sacrifice fly as Topsail was able to get back to quality at-bats with runners on and less than two outs.
With a 7-0 cushion, the Pirates added three more to the scoring column in the sixth to put the game in check.
Riker went 3-for-3 with three runs and 2 RBIs. Madole added two hits and Payton Phelps turned in a strong outing on the mound. Phelps let up just one run on four hits, with three walks and three strikeouts in a complete game.
Topsail (2-0, 8-3) gets back on the diamond Monday at home against North Davidson High School.