Different year, but it’s the same story for the varsity baseball team, who once more made it the finals of the USA Baseball National High School Invitational in North Carolina only to fall to Mater Dei for the second year in a row.

The Wolverines lost to Mater Dei 4-0 on Saturday, after shutting out every other team they faced at NHSI.

After a Monday flight to North Carolina, the team opened the tournament with a 3-0 victory over Eustis from Florida behind 13 strikeouts from pitcher Jack Flaherty ’14 on Wednesday.

With Conor Cuse ’13 pitching the next day, the Wolverines held Bingham from Utah to four hits and won 2-0.

In another moment of déjà vu, Hans Hansen ’13, who threw a shutout in the semifinals of the 2012 NHSI, did much the same as the Wolverines beat Venice from Florida 6-0 to advance to Saturday’s finals.

Having exhausted its typical starting rotation, the team utilized a number of pitchers in the championship game. Alex Horowitz ’13, Logan Simon ’14, Michael Vokulich ’14, Matt Beyer ’15 and Treven Goldsmith ’13 all took their turns atop the mound.

Offensively, the Wolverines were unable to capitalize on their four hits and were shut out by Mater Dei, located in Santa Ana.

There was some good news for the Wolverines Saturday, however. Cuse found out Friday night that he had been accepted to Stanford and will play baseball for the Cardinal next year.