Patrick Henry gets lights-out start, big grand slam in playoff win over RB

RANCHO BERNARDO - Thrust into the role of No. 1 starter, Tyson Bobo delivered.

The senior right-hander flirted with a no-hitter for four innings and allowed just two runs in 5 2/3 innings Wednesday as No. 5-seeded Patrick Henry High School beat No. 4 Rancho Bernardo 6-3 in the first round of the CIF San Diego Section Open Division double-elimination playoffs.

The Patriots (20-8), who have won seven of their last eight games, advance to the Winners’ Bracket, playing at No. 1-seeded Cathedral Catholic on Friday.

Rancho Bernardo (18-11) hosts No. 8 seed Southwest-El Centro on Friday.

Bobo, a senior right-hander, allowed just four hits - one a long two-run homer by Owen Glick, his 10th of the season - while walking two and striking out five.

He started in place of Patrick Henry ace Brady Gunn, who is dealing with what is hoped is a minor injury. Gunn is 7-1 with an 0.46 ERA.

Gunn’s brother Jimmy, who is 4-3 with a 2.13 ERA, is expected to start on Friday.

“I faced Rancho Bernardo earlier in the season and lost,” Bobo said. “The difference was we got some runs early and I had some room to work.”

Bobo kept Rancho Bernardo, which came into the game hitting .295 as a team with 33 homers, off balance with a mix of breaking balls and change ups.

“I felt really good,” Bobo said. “I love the pressure of a big game. There was a big crowd and the RB student section was talking some trash. I love that. It got me amped up. It felt good to silence them.”

Henry coach Sheldon Watkins praised Bobo’s effort.

“He did a great job against a really good hitting team,” Watkins said. “He came up big for us. This was a great crowd (maybe 500 strong), really into the game, a great environment for a high school playoff game,”

Henry took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Jayden Goldman slugged a hanging slider over the center field fence.

The Patriots added four runs in the third, with four coming on Parks Kronk-Hawley’s grand slam.

“Originally, I thought I was going to get a curve, but I got my foot down early and got to it,” Kronk-Hawley said. “I knew I hit it good, but honestly, I didn’t know if it had a chance to get out.”

Asked if he ever had a bigger hit, Kronk-Hawley replied: “Never.”

Both Henry home runs came off RB ace Caden Dockan, who fell to 6-2.

Rancho Bernardo scored two runs in the sixth on Glick’s homer and tagged on a run in the seventh, when Nathan Bembenek singled in Asher Johnson, who had singled. Brady Strachan then lined out to left to end the game.

Eli Brum got the final five outs for Henry.

“We really wanted to get the tying run to the plate,” Rancho Bernardo coach Jeff Baumback said. “The ball flies at our park, so we wanted to get that tying run up there. Bobo pitched really well for them against a powerful line up, and they took advantage of every mistake we made.

“We just need to play better.”

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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 8:25 PM.