Notre Dame pitcher Oliver Boone throws complete game in 2-0 Division 1 semifinal win over Huntington Beach: 3 takeaways

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. -- To win the Division 1 Southern Section baseball championship, teams have to run the gauntlet. Each playoff game is a battle against top recruits from some of the country's best teams. There are no easy games. Earning a win on the mound, especially in the semifinal round, not only requires elite skill, but elite mental toughness. 

Enter Notre Dame pitcher Oliver Boone. The uncommitted junior started the season in the bullpen for the Knights outside of the starting rotation. On Tuesday, he threw a complete game shutout to beat Huntington Beach on the road 2-0 giving Notre Dame their first ever appearance in the Division 1 championship game. 

"I just kept working as hard as I could," Boone said. "And then I got to this place and I made the best of my opportunity."

Notre Dame will take on JSerra in the title game on either Friday or Saturday night at Cal State Fullerton. Below are three takeaways from the Knights' semifinal win. 

MAGNIFICENT BOONE

"The story of the day is Oliver Boone," Notre Dame head coach Tom Dill told his team in their postgame huddle.

Boone didn't really run into any trouble in the game until the bottom of the sixth when he gave up a double to Aiden Espinoza and then walked Ralphy Velazquez. With two runners on and one out, Boone managed to get out of the inning and retire the next two batters he faced thanks to some great defense from his infield (more on that later). 

All afternoon, Boone was calm on the mound consistently hitting the strike zone. The Velazquez walk was the only free pass he gave up in the game. He struck out four Huntington Beach batters and let his defense do the rest. The Oilers only managed three hits. 

"I'm more happy than I've ever been playing a baseball game," Boone said after the game. "That was probably the best I've ever pitched and I'm just so happy to celebrate with my team."

NOTRE DAME'S DEFENSE MAKES BIG PLAYS, HUNTINGTON BEACH'S FALLS SHORT

Notre Dame scored both of their runs in the fifth inning on wild pitches thrown by starter Ben Jacobs that got by catcher Antonio Ventimiglia. Notre Dame's Greg Pierantoni led off the fifth with a single and then Dean West bunted. Ventimiglia overthrew his toss to first on the bunt, which brought Pierantoni to third and West to second. They each went on to score on the wild pitches.

Defensively, Pierantoni made two exceptional plays at third base in the sixth and seventh innings. Christian Miranda was also sharp at shortstop. He nearly mishandled a ground ball in the sixth, but gathered and fired to first to get out of the frame with two runners on. First baseman Jack Gurevitch made a diving play at first to record an out in the seventh. 

"We lock it down and don't get nervous," Boone said. "If we bobble it, we just stay with it and stay composed. Everything is gonna be good."

DILL VS. KAY IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Both Dill and JSerra head coach Brett Kay will attempt to win their first ever Division 1 Southern Section title game this weekend. Dill and Kay are two of the best coaches in California high school baseball. On paper, Notre Dame vs. JSerra should be a great game.