striker

Two future high major-league draft picks, Anthony Murphy of Corona and Striker Pence of Corona Santiago, showed off their talents Tuesday. Corona rallied for a 9-7 victory.

Pence, who touched 99 mph, struck out Murphy for one of his six strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. He left the game with a 3-2 lead. Then Murphy hit a home run off Pence’s replacement, Thomas Padilla, to tie the score. Murphy was on the mound in the seventh to strike out Pence and get the save. Pence finished with two RBI singles.

“Those are two amazing baseball players and what a treat for them to get after it,” Corona coach Andy Wise said.

Striker Pence of Corona Santiago gets excited against Corona.

(Craig Weston)

The two went to middle school together. Murphy, a senior center fielder, is shaping up as a potential first-round pick. Pence, a sophomore, might reclassify to be eligible for the 2027 draft.

Errors played a big part in the game. Corona committed three errors, making it 20 errors in its last three games. An error by Santiago opened the door for a six-run sixth by the Panthers. Danny De La Torre had the big hit, a two-run double.

Corona’s defense is expected to get a lot better come Friday when infielders Joseph Flores and Kobee Finnikin become eligible after the sit-out transfer period ends.

Southern California teams got their first chance to show how good Southern California baseball is during Wednesday’s opening games of the National High School Invitational in Cary, N.C. Three came away with dominant wins.

Orange Lutheran received 16 strikeouts from Gary Morse, tying a tournament record, in a 3-0 win over Colorado Regis.

Unbeaten St. John Bosco (8-0) got two hits and two RBIs from Jack Champlin in a 14-1 win over Tennessee Nolensville.

Harvard-Westlake took care of North Carolina Wakefield 16-0 in five innings. Justin Kirchner struck out 10 and Ethan Price had three hits.

In the quarterfinals on Thursday, Harvard-Westlake will play Florida Venice, Orange Lutheran will face Florida Trinity Christian Academy and St. John Bosco will take on Arizona Casteel.

Servite 11, Santa Margarita 2: Eli Rubel had a triple, double and three RBIs for the Friars.

Tesoro 2, Aliso Niguel 1: Corwin Allard threw a complete game with six strikeouts and one walk for Tesoro.

Newport Harbor 8, Edison 2: Keaton Anderson struck out four in six innings. Grant Horsley had two hits.

Huntington Beach 8, Edison 4: Dane Cunningham, Ely Mason and Jaxon Greer hit home runs for Huntington Beach. Cunningham had three hits.

Villa Park 13, Foothill 0: Aiden Young went four for four with five RBIs and Logan Hoppie threw the shutout.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 11, Crespi 1: AJ LaSota struck out five, walked none and gave up two hits in five scoreless innings. Troy Trejo and Benett Pace each had two hits and two RBIs. Freshman Anthony Daniel had three hits.

Bishop Alemany 5, St. Francis 1: Matthew Serrano gave up two hits in six innings and Alex Noble contributed three hits for the Warriors.

Sierra Canyon 11, Chaminade 2: Brayden Goldstein went three for three with three RBIs.

Hart 3, Ventura 2: Jaiden Chan had the walk-off hit for Hart. Malachi Wobrock threw a complete game.

West Ranch 11, Canyon 1: Blake Johnson hit a three-run home run for West Ranch. Josh Price had two hits and four RBIs.

Saugus 11, Valencia 2: Joey Nuttall finished with three hits for Saugus. Logan Feldman added four RBIs.

Simi Valley 11, Camarillo 1: Ryan Whitson and Kai Stones each had three RBIs for Simi Valley.

Rancho Christian 3, Valley View 2: Jake Brande struck out 10 in a complete game.

Corinthians striker Memphis Depay has explained why he was using a mobile phone while on the substitutes’ bench during a Brazilian top-flight match.

The Netherlands forward was pictured by television cameras using a phone in the second half of Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Flamengo.

Depay, 32, had been taken off in the 22nd minute of the game and has said he was providing the Dutch camp with an update on his fitness before the international break.

“Just to clarify my moment with the phone was pure to communicate with the medical staff in the Netherlands at that moment,” Depay wrote on X, external.

“I came outside to show support to my team while I could’ve stayed inside the dressing room with the injury.”

Depay added that he was “upset with the result of the game” and will “keep working for better days”.

The former Manchester United and Barcelona forward, who has been capped 108 times by the Netherlands and is their record goalscorer, joined Corinthians in September 2024.

Wrexham striker Kieffer Moore has been ruled out of Wales’ World Cup play-offs with a hamstring injury.

The 33-year-old had been a major doubt since sustaining a tendon split during the FA Cup defeat against Chelsea earlier this month.

Having missed subsequent Championship matches against Hull City and Swansea City, Moore is not expected to return to action until April.

That means he will be unavailable for Wales’ World Cup play-off semi-final against Bosnia-Herzegovina on 26 March and, if they win that game, their play-off final against Italy or Northern Ireland five days later.

“Kieffer’s not going to be right for the internationals, which is a blow for him and for Wales,” said Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson.

“He’s got this tendon injury which he feels OK with, but he’s shown up on the scan and it’s one of those injuries that, up to 80-85% you’re fine, but if you extend beyond that you make yourself susceptible to muscle injuries.”