In a performance that will be talked about for years, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame catcher Jacob Madrid put on a show in the regular-season finale, launching three home runs to power the Knights to a dominant 7-1 road win over Loyola. The senior standout not only secured third place in the Mission League for his team but also delivered a game that even some Major League stars would envy.
Madrid, an Oregon commit, wasted no time making an impact. He crushed a solo shot to right field in the second inning, followed by a three-run blast to the same side in the third. To cap off his historic day, he sent a solo homer to left field in the sixth, raising his season total to 11 home runs. Interestingly, not even Miami Marlins superstar Giancarlo Stanton—who played for the Knights in high school—managed to hit three homers in a single game during his time at Notre Dame.
"It was surprising because I was honestly trying for line drives the opposite way," Madrid said with a grin after the game.
The Knights now turn their attention to the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs, with pairings set to be announced Saturday at 1 p.m. If Madrid's bat stays hot, Notre Dame could be a dangerous team in the postseason.
Elsewhere in a busy day of prep baseball, Orange Lutheran pulled off a thrilling 6-5 walk-off victory over Mater Dei in the bottom of the ninth. Eric Zdunek delivered the game-winning RBI double, but the Lancers needed some late heroics to get there. Trailing 5-4 in the eighth with two outs, a fly ball from Ricardo Hurtado was misplayed, allowing the tying run to score. CJ Weinstein homered for Orange Lutheran, while Hamilton Friedberg and Jordan Kurz each collected three hits. The loss left Servite in third place in the Trinity League.
Harvard-Westlake continued its dominant run, blanking Crespi 10-0 behind three hits each from Ethan Price and Louis Lappe. The win clinched at least a share of the Mission League title for the Wolverines with one game remaining.
Sierra Canyon rallied for a 6-5 win over Bishop Alemany, powered by home runs from Cody Gallegos and Mikhail Johnson. The victory secured second place in the Mission League for the Trailblazers. Brody Thompson homered for Alemany, which finished fourth.
Chaminade edged St. Francis 1-0 in a pitcher's duel, marking the Eagles' second 1-0 win of the week. Jackson Schroeder and Bronson Jackson combined for the shutout, with Jackson also driving in the game's only run.
In a low-scoring affair, El Camino Real topped Granada Hills 1-0 as Jackson Sellz tossed a three-hit shutout. Ryan Glassman provided the only offense the Royals needed with an RBI.