The games start getting much tougher for MaxPreps Top 25 teams from the South as the playoffs head into the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds in some states. Meanwhile, teams from the Midwest are making their moves to the top half of this week's high school baseball national rankings.
Playoffs in Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana will be heading into semifinal action this week while California, Florida, Mississippi and Texas will be heading into quarterfinal matchups.
Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.), was the first upset victim from the MaxPreps Top 25 as it lost to
North Paulding (Dallas, Ga.) in three games and was eliminated.
Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.) also dropped out but its season is not over. The Firebirds lost to
Southwest (Miami, Fla.) in district play but they still advance to the state playoffs since the top two teams from each district advance. Doral Academy faces
South Broward (Hollywood, Fla.) in the first round of the Class 6A tournament.
In Alabama,
Central (Phenix City) has a Class 7A semifinal matchup with
Auburn. Of Central's three losses this season, two have come against Auburn.
The Southern Section playoffs in California are entering the second round with No. 2
Corona drawing a tough opponent in
Mater Dei (Santa Ana). While the Monarchs finished in last place in the extremely competitive Trinity League, they did hand Corona one of its three losses on the season at the Boras Classic South tournament.
Meanwhile, Midwest teams from Ohio, Michigan and Illinois are creeping up the rankings.
Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio),
Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) and
Lincoln-Way West (New Lenox, Ill.) have one loss between them. Moeller is No. 5 with a 22-0 record while Lincoln-Way West is No. 12 at 23-0 and Brother Rice moves up to No. 15 at 25-1.
Two newcomers this week include
Brophy College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) and
West Monroe (La.). With three wins over defending state champion
Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) over the past two weeks, Brophy College Prep moves to No. 24. West Monroe has struggled this year with eight losses (three to No. 1 Catholic), but the 2022 Class 5A state champions are one series win away from reaching the championship game. They play No. 22
Sam Houston (Lake Charles, La.) in the semifinals this week.
Dropped out: No. 12 Parkview, No. 17 Doral Academy
Newcomers: No. 24 Brophy College Prep, No. 25 West Monroe
Game of the Week: Corona def.
El Dorado (Placentia, Calif.), 1-0. The No. 2 team in the nation needed a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning by shortstop
Billy Carlson to defeat El Dorado in the first round of the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. The home run was just the second of the year for Carlson, who is one of the top-ranked juniors in the state of California by Perfect Game.
Game to Watch: Flower Mound vs. Dallas Jesuit. The defending state champions have a tough test in the second round of the Texas Class 6A state playoffs, meeting a Dallas Jesuit team that is 30-4 and was ranked in the MaxPreps Top 25 earlier this season.
Player of the Week: Drew Ferguson, West Monroe. The Rebels return to the MaxPreps Top 25 after a superb pitching performance by Ferguson, who no-hit Central (Baton Rouge) in a 3-0 win in the Louisiana Division 1 Non-Select quarterfinals.
Streaks: Eaton (Colo.) upped its season record to 19-0 and put the nation's longest active streak at 60 wins in a row. That ties the previous state record of 60 in a row, set by the Reds from 2008-10.
Junior Lucas Acevedo has helped Lincoln-Way West go 23-0 so far this season. He is 4-0 on the mound with a 0.78 ERA while batting .407 with a team-leading 27 runs. (Photo: Dean Reid)
1. Catholic (Baton Rouge, La.)
Record: 36-2 |
Last week: 1
Scores: Def. Jesuit (New Orleans), 5-0, 8-0
Hitter of the week: Brooks Wright went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI in the 8-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: William Schmidt tossed a seven-inning, one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts and no walks in the 5-0 win.
Next: Thursday vs. Acadiana
2. Corona (Calif.)
Record: 26-3 |
Last week: 2
Scores: Def. El Dorado (Placentia), 1-0
Hitter of the week: Billy Carlson went 2-for-3 with a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Pitcher of the week: Ethan Schiefelbein pitched four innings and gave up no runs on one hit with seven strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
3. Jackson Prep (Jackson, Miss.)
Record: 35-2 |
Last week: 3
Scores: Did not play
Next: Tuesday vs. Madison-Ridgeland Academy
4. Flower Mound (Texas)
Record: 32-3 |
Last week: 4
Scores: Def. Little Elm, 7-1, 6-4
Hitter of the week: Adrian Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and two RBI in the 6-4 win.
Pitcher of the week: Josh Glaser threw six innings and gave up one run on three hits with six strikeouts in the 7-1 win.
Next: Friday vs. Dallas Jesuit
5. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Record: 22-0 |
Last week: 5
Scores: Def. La Salle, 9-1, 9-1, 6-0; def. Olentangy Orange, 2-0
Hitter of the week: Conner Cuozzo went 2-for-2 with a double, a home run and four RBI in a 9-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Zion Theophilus went seven innings and gave up no runs on three hits with 10 strikeouts in a 6-0 win.
Next: Monday vs. Centerville
6. Central (Phenix City, Ala.)
Record: 37-3 |
Last week: 6
Scores: Def. Baker, 5-0, 12-2
Hitter of the week: Sam Brown went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBI in the 12-2 win.
Pitcher of the week: Cam Norton went five innings in the 5-0 win, giving up no runs on four hits with two strikeouts.
Next: Thursday vs. Auburn
7. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Record: 23-6 |
Last week: 7
Scores: Def. Sierra Canyon, 6-0
Hitter of the week: Brady Murrietta went 1-for-3 with a triple and two RBI in the win.
Pitcher of the week: Gary Morse went seven innings for the win, giving up no runs on one hit with two strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. Vista Murrieta
8. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Record: 24-4-1 |
Last week: 8
Scores: Def. Norco, 7-2
Hitter/Pitcher of the week: Duncan Marsten had a double and an RBI in the 7-2 win. He also went five innings and struck out six for the win.
Next: Tuesday vs. Bonita
9. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
Record: 26-1-1 |
Last week: 9
Scores: Did not play
Next: Tuesday vs. Trinity Christian Academy (Addison)
10. Tomball (Texas)
Record: 31-3 |
Last week: 10
Scores: Def. Cy Falls, 1-0, 6-1
Hitter of the week: Blaine Lucas went 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and three runs scored.
Pitcher of the week: CJ Sampson went seven innings in a 1-0 win, giving up no runs on three hits with eight strikeouts.
Next: Friday vs. Grand Oaks
11. Pensacola Catholic (Pensacola, Fla.)
Record: 26-1 |
Last week: 11
Scores: Def. Maclay, 2-0; Def. North Bay Haven Academy, 6-0
Hitter of the week: Brock Clayton went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and two RBI against NBHA.
Pitcher of the week: Jackson Kohr threw seven innings and gave up no runs on three hits with seven strikeouts in the 2-0 win.
Next: Wednesday vs. Keystone Heights
12. Lincoln-Way West (New Lenox, Ill.)
Record: 23-0 |
Last week: 13
Scores: Def. Andrew, 8-7, 3-1; def. Riverside-Brookfield, 2-1
Hitter of the week: Ian Hazelip went 3-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI.
Pitcher of the week: Adam Gerl went six innings against Riverside-Brookfield, giving up one run on four hits with eight strikeouts.
Next: Monday vs. Lincoln-Way Central
13. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Record: 21-5 |
Last week: 15
Scores: Def. Monarch, 8-0; def. Boca Raton, 5-2
Hitter of the week: Rylan Lujo went 2-for-3 with three RBI against Monarch.
Pitcher of the week: Gavin Gargiulo struck out 11 and gave up two runs on four hits in seven innings against Boca Raton.
Next: Tuesday vs. South Dade
14. North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.)
Record: 23-3 |
Last week: 16
Scores: Def. Saint Andrew's, 5-1; def. St. John Paul II Academy, 9-1
Hitter of the week: Tanner Uderitz went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI against John Paul II.
Pitcher of the week: Mateo Gray went six innings for the win against Saint Andrew's, giving up one run on two hits with six strikeouts.
Next: Wednesday vs. Melbourne Central Catholic
15. Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
Record: 25-1 |
Last week: 18
Scores: Def. Toledo St. Francis, 12-3; def. De La Salle, 16-4
Hitter of the week: Tristan Crane went 2-for-3 with two home runs and seven home runs in a 16-4 win.
Pitcher of the week: Blake Ilitch had 12 strikeouts in the 16-4 win.
Next: TBD
16. Harlem (Ga.)
Record: 32-1 |
Last week: 19
Scores: Def. Peach County, 6-4, 6-1
Hitter of the week: Walker Spivey went 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI in the 6-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Caden Coile picked up the 6-1 win, going seven innings and giving up one run on two hits with eight strikeouts.
Next: Monday vs. PIckens
17. Prosper (Texas)
Record: 29-6 |
Last week: 14
Scores: Lost to Coppell, 1-0; def. Coppell, 10-0, 13-1
Hitter of the week: Brody Mattox went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in a 10-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Micah Melott got the 10-0 win by going five innings with two hits allowed and three strikeouts.
Next: Friday vs. South Grand Prairie
18. North Cobb Christian (Kennesaw, Ga.)
Record: 30-4 |
Last week: 21
Scores: Def. Callaway, 4-3, 12-2
Hitter of the week: Michael Mullanix went 3-for-3 with a triple and four RBI in a 12-2 win.
Pitcher of the week: Asher Sabom struck out nine over seven innings in a 4-3 win. He also hit a double and a home run.
Next: Monday vs. Jeff Davis
19. Grapevine (Texas)
Record: 30-3 |
Last week: 22
Scores: Def. Timberview, 6-5, 2-1
Hitter of the week: Ryan Williams went 3-for-3 with an RBI in the 2-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Dasan Hill struck out 11 for the 2-1 win.
Next: Friday vs. Northview
20. Granada (Livermore, Calif.)
Record: 23-1 |
Last week: 23
Scores: Def. Livermore, 5-0, 15-1
Hitter of the week: Parker Warner went 3-for-4 with five runs scored, two RBI and two doubles in the 15-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Jake Sekany struck out eight in 3.2 innings, allowing no runs on no hits in the 15-1 win.
Next: TBD
21. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 33-6 |
Last week: 20
Scores: Def. Mandeville, 6-0, 2-3, 7-0
Hitter of the week: Presley Courville went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI in the 7-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Diego Corrales got the 7-0 win, giving up no runs on one hit with five strikeouts.
Next: Thursday vs. Benton
22. Sam Houston (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 32-4 |
Last week: 24
Scores: Def. Live Oak, 2-0, 2-0
Hitter of the week: Connor Walker had a double in both wins.
Pitcher of the week: Griffin Hebert went seven innings and gave up no runs on one hit with eight strikeouts in the clinching win.
Next: Thursday vs. West Monroe
23. Valley View (Jonesboro, Ark.)
Record: 26-2 |
Last week: 25
Scores: Def. Searcy, 18-1; Def. Poplar Bluff (Mo.), 10-0
Hitter of the week: Hudson Hosman went 2-for-3 with a double a triple against Poplar Bluff.
Pitcher of the week: Lance Davis struck out five in 3.2 innings, giving up no runs on one hit for the 10-0 win.
Next: Thursday vs. Beebe
24. Brophy College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Record: 24-5 |
Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Hamiliton, 15-0; def. O'Connor, 5-0
Hitter of the week: Jack Meissner went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI in the 15-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Jack Ohman went five innings for the win over Hamilton, striking out five and allowing only three hits.
Next: TBD
25. West Monroe (La.)
Record: 29-8 |
Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Central (Baton Rouge), 0-5, 3-0, 8-1
Hitter of the week: John Pearson had a home run and two RBI in the 3-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Drew Ferguson threw a seven-inning no-hitter in the 3-0 win, striking out seven.
Next: Thursday vs. Sam Houston
