Another week, another new No. 1 in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school baseball rankings. This time,
Catholic (Baton Rouge, La.) takes a turn at the top spot after
Corona (Calif.) lost a non-league encounter with
La Mirada (Calif.).
Catholic begins the Select Division 1 playoffs in Louisiana this week as the top seed with 14 straight wins to its credit. The Bears reached the semifinals last year but were beaten by
Archbishop Rummel (Metairie).
The MaxPreps Top 25 has had multiple No. 1 teams this season with few ranked teams able to maintain spotless records like last year when unbeatens
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and
Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.) had a firm grip on the top two spots. This year, Stoneman Douglas,
Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif, Corona (twice),
Central (Phenix City, Ala.) and now Catholic have all spent time at the top.
Corona only drops a spot to No. 2 despite the loss. La Mirada is one of the top-ranked schools in the Division 1 rankings by the Southern Section and had freshman
Luke Armijo on the mound. Armijo is ranked as the No. 7 lefthander in the nation for the Class of 2027 by Perfect Game. Corona, meanwhile, did not have any of its top three pitchers throwing after playing three league games earlier in the week.
Otherwise there was minor movement in the rankings with only two teams as
Calvary Christian (Clearwater, Fla.) and
Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) both suffered multiple losses. A pair of Northern California teams –
Granada (Livermore) and
Serra (San Mateo, Calif.) – moved in.
Dropped out: No. 7 Calvary Christian, No. 24 Hamilton
Newcomers: No. 24 Granada, No. 25 Serra
Game of the Week: Stoneman Douglas def.
North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.), 6-5. Since seeing their 59-game win streak come to an end, the Eagles have struggled with five losses in their last 12 games. Stoneman Douglas needed to right the ship in order to stay in the MaxPreps Top 25 and they faced a difficult test in No. 5 North Broward Prep. The Eagles trailed 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh with one out when
Rylan Lujo singled. On a 1-1 count, the next batter
Niko Benestad homered to right field to give the Eagles a 6-5 win. Stoneman Douglas defeated No. 8
Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.) later in the week and bounced from No. 25 to No. 16.
Game to Watch: Lincoln-Way West (New Lenox, Ill.) vs.
Downers Grove North (Downers Grove, Ill.). Assuming the Vikings get past
Homewood-Flossmoor (Flossmoor, Ill.) early in the week, undefeated Lincoln-Way West will have its toughest test of the season against 17-2 Downers Grove North.
Player of the Week: Bryce Rainer,
Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.). The senior infielder had a huge week, going 8-for-12 with eight runs scored, six RBI, two doubles and two home runs. He also pitched two innings and struck out five.
Streaks: Eaton (Colo.) upped its season record to 13-0 and put the nation's longest active streak at 54 wins in a row.
Senior Trip Dobson of top-ranked Catholic (Baton Rouge) pitched five no-hit innings in a 7-0 win over Central last week. (File photo: Duane Bierman)
Record: 32-2 |
Last week: 2
Scores: Def. Central (Baton Rouge, La.), 7-0
Hitter of the week: Jack Ruckert homered with two RBI
Pitcher of the week: Trip Dobson pitched five no-hit innings against Central with four strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. Pineville
2. Corona (Calif.)
Record: 22-3 |
Last week: 1
Scores: Def. Centennial, 7-2, 7-3, 2-0; lost to La Mirada, 2-0
Hitter of the week: Sam Burgess had a home run and two RBI in a 7-2 win.
Pitcher of the week: Ethan Schiefelbein threw a seven-inning shutout with four strikeouts in a 2-0 win.
Next: Monday vs. Roosevelt (Eastvale)
3. Jackson Prep (Jackson, Miss.)
Record: 32-2 |
Last week: 3
Scores: Def. Presbyterian Christian, 7-3, 7-2, 7-6
Hitter of the week: Kevin Roberts went 2-for-2 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI in 7-2 win.
Pitcher of the week: Gardner Young went six innings and gave up two runs with six strikeouts in a 7-2 win.
Next: Monday vs. Jackson Academy
4. Flower Mound (Texas)
Record: 28-3 |
Last week: 4
Scores: Def. Plano East, 3-1, 14-0
Hitter of the week: Adrian Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in a 3-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Josh Glaser went five innings and gave up one run on three hits with four strikeouts against Plano East.
Next: Tuesday vs. Hebron
5. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Record: 13-0 |
Last week: 6
Scores: Def. Elder, 5-0; def. Mason, 7-5
Hitter of the week: Matt Ponatoski went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI against Mason.
Next: Monday vs. St. Xavier (Cincinnati)
6. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Record: 20-5 |
Last week: 9
Scores: Def. Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 7-2, 5-0, 3-1
Hitter of the week: Josiah Hartshorn went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in a 3-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Colt Peterson threw six innings of shutout ball in a 5-0 win, striking out four.
Next: Monday vs. St. John Bosco (Bellflower)
7. Central (Phenix City, Ala.)
Record: 33-3 |
Last week: 10
Scores: Def. Smith Station, 4-2, 4-3
Hitter of the week: Sam Brown hit a home run in the 4-3 win.
Pitcher of the week: Cam Norton pitched 5.1 innings and struck out four in the 4-3 win.
Next: Tuesday vs. Prattville
8. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Record: 21-4-1 |
Last week: 12
Scores: Def. Loyola, 7-2, 19-2, 10-8
Hitter of the week: Bryce Rainer went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and two RBI in a 7-2 win.
Pitcher of the week: Duncan Marsten went five innings and gave up two runs on five hits with six strikeouts in a 19-2 win.
Next: Tuesday vs. Bishop Alemany
9. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
Record: 25-1-1 |
Last week: 14
Scores: Def. Parish Episcopal, 10-0, 17-0
Hitter of the week: A.J. DePaolo went 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBI in the 17-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Xavier Mitchell threw a five-inning, 17-0 no-hitter with 14 strikeouts.
Next: Thursday vs. Liberty Christian (Argyle)
10. Tomball (Texas)
Record: 27-3 |
Last week: 15
Scores: Def. Klein Collins, 7-1, 7-0
Hitter of the week: Cade Arrambide went 1-for-4 with a home run.
Pitcher of the week: Karson Reeder went six innings in a 7-0 win, giving up no runs on one hit with nine strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. Klein Cain
11. Pensacola Catholic (Pensacola, Fla.)
Record: 21-1 |
Last week: 17
Scores: Def. Escambia, 10-0
Hitter of the week: Colton Guillot went 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles and an RBI.
Pitcher of the week: Jackson Kohr threw five innings and gave up no runs on two hits with four strikeouts.
Next: Monday vs. Central (Milton)
12. Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.)
Record: 25-5 |
Last week: 11
Scores: Lost to Brookwood, 9-1; Def. Brookwood, 4-2; def. TC Roberson, 6-4; def. Brookwood, 9-1; def. Rabun Gap Nacoochee, 3-0
Hitter of the week: Eli Pitts went 4-for-9 in four wins last week with seven RBI and a home run.
Pitcher of the week: J.T. Whritenour gave up no runs on one hit over five innings with five strikeouts in a 3-0 win.
Next: Thursday vs. Camden County
13. Lincoln-Way West (New Lenox, Ill.)
Record: 17-0 |
Last week: 23
Scores: Def. Stagg, 8-7; def. Lockport, 10-4; def. Stagg, 9-0; def. Joliet West, 7-5; def. Oak Forest, 6-3
Hitter of the week: Anthony Massa went 7-for-16 with eight RBI, three doubles, a triple and a home run in five games last week.
Pitcher of the week: Adam Gerl went six innings in a 9-0 shutout, giving up just three hits with four strikeouts.
Next: Monday vs. Homewood-Flossmoor
14. North Cobb Christian (Kennesaw, Ga.)
Record: 26-3 |
Last week: 13
Scores: Lost to Walker, 7-3; def. Mount Paran Christian, 1-0; def. Walker, 13-5
Hitter of the week: Spears Martin went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in a 13-5 win.
Pitcher of the week: Asher Sabom got the 1-0 win, striking out nine and giving up no runs on five hits.
Next: Thursday vs. Fannin County
15. Prosper (Texas)
Record: 25-5 |
Last week: 16
Scores: Def. Allen, 4-2; lost to Allen, 1-0
Hitter of the week: Cole Giametta went 2-for-3 in a 4-2 win over Allen.
Pitcher of the week: Aiden White struck out nine and gave up two runs on three hits over 6.2 innings in a 4-2 win.
Next: Tuesday vs. McKinney
16. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Record: 17-5 |
Last week: 25
Scores: Def. North Broward Prep, 6-5; def. Doral Academy, 9-3
Hitter of the week: Niko Benestad went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in a 6-5 win.
Pitcher of the week: Breylynn Courtney had four strikeouts against North Broward Prep and five against Doral Academy.
Next: Tuesday vs. Neumann
17. North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.)
Record: 19-3 |
Last week: 5
Scores: Lost to Stoneman Douglas, def. Pembroke Pines, 11-2; def. Mater Lakes Academy, 12-2
Hitter of the week: Riley Luft went 3-for-3 with a double and a triple and two RBI in a 12-2 win.
Pitcher of the week: Nate Hernandez pitched four innings and gave up no runs on one hit in an 11-2 win.
Next: Tuesday vs. West Boca Raton
18. Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.)
Record: 21-2 |
Last week: 8
Scores: Def. Trinity Christian Academy (Lake Worth), 3-2; lost to Stoneman Douglas, 9-3
Hitter/Pitcher of the week: Michael Torres hit a home run and scored two runs against TCA. He also struck out four in 1.1 innings.
Next: Tuesday vs. Pembroke Pines Charter
19. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 19-4 |
Last week: 18
Scores: Lost to Jesuit, 2-1; def. Neumann, 2-1, def. Lakeland, 14-1
Hitter of the week: Dillon Moss went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored against Lakeland.
Pitcher of the week: Blake Larson struck out 12 in 6.1 innings against Neumann.
Next: Wednesday vs. Central Pointe Christian Academy (Kissimmee)
20. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Record: 17-7-1 |
Last week: 19
Scores: Def. Servite, 5-2; lost to Servite, 1-0; def. Servite, 6-3
Hitter of the week: Carter Enoch went 1-for-2 with a triple in a 6-3 win.
Pitcher of the week: Cade Townsend struck out 10 in 5.2 innings pitched in a 5-2 win.
Next: Monday vs. Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
21. Harlem (Ga.)
Record: 28-1 |
Last week: 20
Scores: Def. Morgan County, 4-3, 6-3
Hitter of the week: Tyler Simmons was 2-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored in the 6-3 win.
Pitcher of the week: Will Holder went all seven innings in a 4-3 win, striking out seven.
Next: Thursday vs. Dougherty
22. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 29-5 |
Last week: 22
Scores: Did not play
Next: Tuesday vs. Sulphur
23. Grapevine (Texas)
Record: 26-3 |
Last week: 21
Scores: Lost to Argyle, 5-1; def. Argyle, 11-1
Hitter of the week: Zack Goldstein had a double among his two hits with five RBi in an 11-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Dasan Hill got the 11-1 win by going 6.1 innings and giving up one run on no hits with 10 strikeouts.
Next: Wednesday vs. Richland
24. Granada (Livermore, Calif.)
Record: 19-1 |
Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Foothill (Pleasanton), 5-1, 10-3
Hitter of the week: Mikey Boyd went 2-for-5 with two runs, two RBI and a home run in a 10-3 win.
Pitcher of the week: Jake Sekany went 5.2 innings and gave up no runs on four hits with three strikeouts in a 5-1 win.
Next: Wednesday vs. Dublin
25. Serra (San Mateo, Calif.)
Record: 17-3 |
Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Bellarmine College Prep, 7-0; def. Saint Francis (Mountain View), 22-7
Hitter of the week: Jake Downing went 3-for-3 with a double and four RBI in a 22-7 win.
Pitcher of the week: Sam Kretsch went seven innings and did not allow a run while striking out eight in a 7-0 win.
Next: Tuesday vs. Saint Francis (Mountain View)
