The Collierville High School baseball team made an impressive debut at the prestigious 2025 National High School Invitational (NHSI) in Cary, North Carolina. The invite-only tournament features some of the nation’s premier high school baseball programs vying for the championship.

In their opening game, the Diamond Dragons were matched up against in-state powerhouse Holly Springs (NC). Collierville wasted no time, striking first in the top of the first inning when AJ Greene drove in JD Whitworth with an RBI single.

The real damage came in the third inning, where Collierville exploded offensively. Jack Bogenreif sparked the rally with a two-run triple, followed by a towering three-run home run from Hayden Short to put the game out of reach.

Holly Springs managed their lone run in the bottom of the third on a wild pitch. Collierville starting pitcher Ari Bethea, a University of Tennessee commit, held the Holly Springs offense in check, carrying a no-hitter into the fourth inning. He finished with six strong innings, allowing just two hits and one run. Reece Denman came on in the seventh to secure the final three outs and seal the win.

With the victory, Collierville (22-1) advances to the NHSI quarterfinals, where they'll face Huntington Beach (CA) Thursday at 3 p.m. EST.