Cathedral Catholic beats Rancho Bernardo for Lions Tournament title

Dons score three first-inning runs and get a dominant pitching performance from junior left-hander Cody Reynolds.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 4:21am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting depicting the action of a high school baseball game, with overlapping planes of players, bats, balls, and field elements in vibrant colors representing the teams' uniforms and stadium environment.Cathedral Catholic's dominant pitching and timely hitting proved the difference in a tightly contested championship matchup against rival Rancho Bernardo in the 75th Lions Baseball Tournament.San Diego Today

In a matchup of the top two teams in the CIF San Diego Section, No. 1 Cathedral Catholic defeated No. 2 Rancho Bernardo 3-0 to win the 75th Lions Baseball Tournament championship. The Dons scored three runs in the first inning and got a complete-game, one-hit shutout from junior pitcher Cody Reynolds, who struck out six and retired the last 15 batters he faced.

Why it matters

This was a highly anticipated matchup between the two best high school baseball teams in the San Diego area, who purposely don't schedule each other during the regular season but often meet in tournaments and the playoffs. The Lions Tournament title game was a showcase of the top talent in the region, with both teams featuring multiple Division I college commits.

The details

Cathedral Catholic jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Alex Harrington led off with a double and scored on a throwing error by Rancho Bernardo third baseman Cruz Partida, who opted to go to first base instead of trying to turn a double play. Trey Kotsay followed with an RBI single, and Kaden Kuhn added a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. That was more than enough support for Reynolds, who was dominant on the mound, striking out six and retiring the final 15 batters he faced.

  • The Lions Tournament championship game was played on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
  • Cathedral Catholic has won 8 games in a row, with its only loss coming against Helix 3-2.
  • Rancho Bernardo had won 6 games in a row prior to this matchup, with its only loss coming against Palm Desert 5-2.

The players

Cody Reynolds

A junior left-handed pitcher for Cathedral Catholic who threw a complete-game, one-hit shutout with 6 strikeouts to lead the Dons to the Lions Tournament title.

Alex Harrington

The leadoff hitter for Cathedral Catholic who doubled to start the first inning and scored the first run of the game.

Cruz Partida

The third baseman for Rancho Bernardo who made a great defensive play in the first inning but opted not to try and turn a double play, allowing two runs to score.

Gary Remiker

The head coach of Cathedral Catholic who praised his team's pitching depth for allowing them to stick with their plan to start Cody Reynolds in the championship game.

Noah Villa

The starting pitcher for Rancho Bernardo who pitched well after the first inning but was outdueled by Cathedral Catholic's Cody Reynolds.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I was really surprised he didn't go after me. Anything on the ground and I was going. The guy made a great play, and for a split second, we made eye contact. I was kind of the rabbit on the play, maybe distracted him.”

— Alex Harrington

“My goal was to throw strikes, get ahead of the hitters. I had good command. Their hitters were very aggressive. It was a really good day.”

— Cody Reynolds

“We knew at the start of the week Cody would pitch Thursday. Credit our other pitchers for throwing well during the week so we could stick with our plan. He's our No. 4 starter and is going to be a stud for us next season.”

— Gary Remiker, Cathedral Catholic head coach

What’s next

Cathedral Catholic and Rancho Bernardo are expected to meet again in the CIF San Diego Section playoffs later this spring, continuing their rivalry as the top two teams in the region.

The takeaway

This matchup between the top-ranked Cathedral Catholic Dons and No. 2 Rancho Bernardo Broncos showcased the elite high school baseball talent in the San Diego area, with both teams featuring multiple Division I college commits. Cathedral Catholic's dominant pitching performance and timely hitting proved to be the difference in a tightly contested championship game.