CARY, N.C. -- Perhaps no team had a tougher draw at the USA Baseball National High School Invitational than Mater Dei (Calif.). The Monarchs have shown they were up to the challenge.

Mater Dei (9-3), ranked No. 18 in the nation by Baseball America, scored seven runs in the third inning on its way to a 12-0 victory over the nation's top-ranked team, Carroll High (17-1) out of Texas.

That followed the Monarchs' victory over second-ranked Bishop Gorman (Nev.) on Wednesday.

Mater Dei's third inning featured a three-run homer by starter and winner Ty Moore. The Monarchs had eight runs in the third inning Wednesday against Gorman.

So, was Mater Dei underestimated coming into the single-elimination NHSI?

"I don't think we were underestimated, but maybe our slow start (3-2 at one point) bumped us down and then people maybe started to underestimate us," Monarchs coach Burt Call said. "But we've been playing really good baseball the past couple of weeks."

Moore credited aggressive scheduling early this season and the competition in Southern California for preparing Mater Dei. That schedule included a 6-4, seventh-inning loss to Baseball America No. 6 Orange Lutheran (Calif.), also in the NHSI field.

"You're not going to win every game in those situations," Call said. "That's why we tell them to try to prepare so they can be ready when they get into the playoffs and national games."

Those national games have come this week.

"We got the word right off the bat that we were playing Bishop Gorman, and that's what we want," Moore said. "California is probably the biggest baseball spot in the country. We go out every night, every weekend and face guys with big league or D-I arms, so we're very used to it. Other teams that play in other states don't have the type of competition California has."

Few teams have handled the competition the way the Monarchs have.

"A couple of days before the tournament I told the guys, 'Hey, you have a great opportunity here to really compete against the best high school teams,'" Call said. "We're going to just get prepared and go out and compete and leave our heart on the field and see what happens."

What has happened, so far, has been very good.

Notes: Leadoff hitter Austin Monte was 2-for-4, including a two-run single in the second. ... Carroll starter O'Shea Dumes took the loss, giving up six runs and nine hits in 2 1/3 innings. ... Monarchs freshman Brandon Perez had his second straight strong game, going 2-for-2 with three RBIs. Perez has three hits in five at-bats in the tournament. ... Moore, who is committed to UCLA, giving up four hits in four innings to get the win. ... Will Moore pitch or hit at UCLA? He says he'd like to do both. "I love both of them," he said. "I want to go to UCLA and hopefully compete for the bullpen spot. They have told me, 'No, no, no, you're just gonna hit.' I love hitting, that's my No. 1, but I'd love to go out on the mound and compete too." ... Brian Conley pitched a perfect fifth for Mater Dei, striking out two. ... Friday's pitcher for Mater Dei will likely be Charlie Vorscheck, a sophomore right-hander, Call said.