MaxPreps Top 25 high school baseball national rankings

Argyle's loss was IMG Academy's gain last week as the Eagles fell from the No. 1 ranking after a loss to Carroll (Southlake, Texas) and the Ascenders moved into the top spot with a 6-0 record.

Carroll defeated Argyle 11-1 at the Highland Park Tournament, handing the Eagles their first loss since 2017. Argyle had been unbeaten in 50 straight games (49-0-1) before the loss. Argyle was the national champion in 2018 (at 37-0) and was No. 1 by MaxPreps to start the 2019 season.

Argyle does not fall far, however, as it drops to No. 6. The Eagles went 5-1 at the Highland Park tournament to tie Prosper with the best record at the event. However, Argyle defeated Prosper 6-0 in their matchup.

IMG Academy moves up to No. 1 after winning the Perfect Game Showdown by beating host Hoover (Ala.) 17-0 in the semifinals and Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.) 5-0 in the championship game.

The Ascenders have allowed one run on the season and posted five shutouts in building a 6-0 record. IMG plays in two big tournaments the rest of the way, hosting its on IMG National Classic at the end of the month and playing in the USA Baseball National High School Invitational in early April.

No. 2 Sam Houston (Lake Charles, La.) continues its hot start with six more wins to boost its record to 16-0 while No. 3 Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) won its only game last week to stay unbeaten at 14-0.

Dropped Out: No. 7 DeSoto Central (Southaven, Miss.), lost twice; No. 16 La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.), lost once; No. 17 Owasso (Okla.), lost once; No. 23 Huntington Beach (Calif.), lost once; No. 24 Barbe (Lake Charles, La.), lost once.

Highest Riser: Cypress Ranch (Houston), No. 21 to No. 14.

On the bubble: Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.), 5-0; Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.), 8-1; Clovis North (Clovis, Calif.), 8-1; Huntington Beach (Calif.), 8-2; La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad, Calif.), 6-1; Etowah (Woodstock, Ga.), 10-2; Veterans Memorial (Corpus Christi, Texas), 16-2-1; Owasso (Okla.), 5-1

Performance of the Week: Bobby Witt Jr., Colleyville Heritage. The No. 1 prospect in the country had a huge week. In five wins, Witt Jr. batted 16-for-19 (.842) with 13 consecutive base hits. He also scored 17 runs, drove in 13, had two doubles, three triples and four home runs. For the season, Witt Jr. is 28-for-47 (.596) with 29 runs scored, 21 RBI, five doubles, four triples and five home runs.

Prospect of the Week: Brennan Malone, IMG Academy. Considered one of the top high school pitchers available in the 2019 MLB Draft, Malone is off to a strong start in his first year at IMG Academy. He's 2-0 in his first two starts with 11 innings pitched, no earned runs (0.00 ERA) and 14 strikeouts with just three walks.

Game to Watch: Palo Verde vs. Desert Oasis, Tuesday. The two Las Vegas clubs are tabbed as the top two teams in the state. Desert Oasis is off to a 4-1 start while the contest will be the first of the year for Palo Verde.

Game of the Week: Mountain Vista 9, Chatfield 8. The first game of the season for the defending Class 5A state champions from Colorado required a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh to win. Mountain Vista won by scoring two runs without a hit. Grant Magill was up to bat with runners on second and third with two outs. According to the Mountain Vista scorer, ball four was a wild pitch that allowed Aidan Smith to come home on a close play at the plate. McGill continued to second base, drawing a throw to second. Meanwhile, Zach Hoff scored the winning run from third.

Top Tournaments: Tournament of Champions (Jacksonville, Fla.) — top teams include Providence School (Jacksonville), Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville), Venice, Stoneman Douglas (Parkland), Trinity Catholic (Ocala), North Florida Christian (Tallahassee, Fla.); Scott Boras Arizona Classic — top teams include Corona del Sol, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), Basic (Henderson), Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), Mountain Ridge, Mountain Vista (Colo.), Nogales (Ariz.).

MaxPreps Top 25 national high school baseball rankings

1. (2) IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 6-0
Results: At the Perfect Game Showdown, defeated Coffee (Douglas, Ga.) 4-1, Troup County (LaGrange, Ga.) 2-0, Hoover (Ala.) 17-0 and Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.), 5-0.
Stats: Brennan Malone went five innings and struck out seven against Coffee; Heston Tole went seven innings for the shutout with eight strikeouts against Troup County; Billy Underwood and Josh Rivera each had two hits and three RBI against Hoover; Kyle Westfall was 2-for-4 with a triple against Blessed Trinity.
This week: Braden River (Bradeton, Fla.) on Thursday; Clearwater on Saturday.

2. (3) Sam Houston (Lake Charles, La.), 15-0
Results: Defeated Sacred Heart (Ville Platte) 3-0, East Ascension 15-5, Archbishop Shaw 10-0, Destrehan 13-3, and Hahnville 7-3.
Stats: Will Thompson struck out 11 in a shutout win over Sacred Heart; Cameron Meeks had a double and a home run and three RBIs against East Ascension; Kyle Bartley struck out nine and threw a two-hitter against Archbishop Shaw; Bartley was 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBI against Destrehan; Michael Harlow had a home run against Hahnville.
This week: South Beauregard on Tuesday, West Ouachita and Zachary on Thursday, Airline and Dutchtown on Friday.

3. (4) Lake Travis (Austin, Texas), 14-0
Results: Def. Austin 9-2.
Stats: Jimmy Lewis had a triple and also pitched six innings and struck out eight against Austin.
This week: Lehman (Kyle) on Tuesday, Westlake (Austin) on Friday.

4. (5) Calvary Christian (Clearwater, Fla.), 4-0
Results: Defeated Lovett (Ga.) 8-4 and Tampa Catholic 6-1.
Stats: Braden Halladay went 4.2 innings and struck out seven for the win and Nolan Hudi was 3-for-3 with a double against Lovett; Hudi also struck out seven for the win against Tampa Catholic.
This week: Tampa Prep on Tuesday.

5. (8) Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville, Texas), 13-1
Results: Defeated Socorro (El Paso) 8-2, Frenship (Wolfforth) 11-0, Chapin 22-12, Coronado (Lubbock) 7-5, Cooper (Lubbock) 14-9.
Stats: Bobby Witt had a home run against Socorro; Aidan Caputti threw a five-inning no-hitter with four strikeouts against Frenship; Mason Greer was 6-for-6 with three doubles and eight RBI and Witt was 5-for-5 with six runs scored, six RBI, two doubles and two triples against Chapin; Witt was 4-for-4 with a home run and two RBI against Coronado; Witt added a triple and two home runs and went 4-for-5 with four RBIs against Cooper.
This week: Birdville on Tuesday and Thursday.

6. (1) Argyle (Texas), 14-1-1
Results: Def. Keller 7-5, def. Prosper 6-0, def. Dallas Jesuit 3-1, lost to Carroll (Southlake) 11-1, def. Coppell 12-9, def. Rockwall 10-0.
Stats: Austin King was 2-for-2 with a grand slam and five RBI against Keller; Dillon Carter was 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI against Prosper; Carter also went 2-for-4 with two doubles against Dallas Jesuit; Brenden Dixon was 3-for-3 with two doubles, a grand slam and eight RBI against Coppell; Hayden Clearman and Preston King each had a triple against Rockwall.
This week: Iowa Park on Thursday, Cleburne on Saturday.

7. (6) New Hanover (Wilmington, N.C.), 2-0
Results: Defeated Havelock 12-1.
Stats: Blake Walston was 3-for-4 with a triple and three RBI and Hunter Hodges struck out nine against Havelock.
This week: North Brunswick on Tuesday; West Brunswick on Friday.

8. (9) Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.), 9-1
Results: Def. Crespi (Encino) three times, 17-1, 10-1 and 7-0.
Stats: JP Corrigan was 4-for-6 with a double and home run and three RBI in the first game; Michael Snyder was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI in the second game; Pete Crow-Armstrong was 2-for-5 with a double and a home run in the third game.
This week: Next game is March 20 vs. Alemany (Mission Hills).

9. (12) Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 2-0
Results: Defeated Chatfield (Littleton) 9-8 and Arapahoe (Centennial) 14-2.
Stats: Sam Ireland was 2-for-4 and Elisandro Aragon had a home run against Chatfield; Ireland also went 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI against Arapahoe.
This week: Scott Boras Classic in Arizona.

10. (14) George County (Lucedale, Miss.), 9-0
Results: Defeated Meridian 12-0, Poplarville 8-1, Meridian 12-2 and Stone (Wiggins) 7-6.
Stats: Logan Tanner was 2-for-2 with a home run and five RBI against Meridian; Jonathan Havard was 2-for-4 with two RBI against Poplarville; Harvard and Colby Cochran each had a home run against Meridian; Havard was 2-for-3 with two RBI against Stone.
This week: Jackson Prep (Jackson) on Tuesday; St. Pius X (Houston) on Thursday.

11. (15) Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.), 7-0
Results: Def. Santa Cruz 1-0, Capuchino (San Bruno) 5-1.
Stats: Gianluca Shinn struck out nine in six innings against Santa Cruz; William Campbell fanned nine against Capuchino.
This week: Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose) on Tuesday; Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) on Friday.

12. (18) La Cueva (Albuquerque), 4-0
Results: Defeated Atrisco Heritage Academy (Albuquerque) 5-2, Highland (Albuquerque) 22-1 and Manzano (Albuquerque) 2-0.
Stats: Phoenix Autrey had a double and two RBI against Atrisco Heritage; Aaron Sanchez had a home run and two RBI against Highland; Ben Schoneman struck out 10 against Manzano.
This week: Albuquerque on Tuesday; Sandia (Albuquerque) on Thursday; Valley (Albuquerque) on Friday.
13. (NR) Vestavia Hills (Ala.), 11-0
Results: Defeated Hillcrest 10-0, Northridge 7-1, and 4-3, Gadsden City 6-0.
Stats: Ben Saway had a double and three RBI against Hillcrest and a triple against Northridge; Colton Lewis struck out 11 against Gadsen City.
This week: Hoover on Tuesday, Austin on Thursday, Thompson DH on Friday.

14. (21) Cypress Ranch (Houston), 13-2
Results: Defeated Langham Creek (Houston) 4-0, Santa Fe 6-4, La Porte 3-2, Pearland 6-2, Dickinson 6-0 and Episcopal (Bellaire) 3-1.
Stats: Matt Thompson struck out nine and hit a home run against Langham Creek; Hunter Conner had a home run and Jake Hymel was 4-for-4 with a double and three RBI against Santa Fe; Fabian Mayfield had a double and two RBI against La Porte, a grand slam against Pearland and a home run against Dickinson; J.J. Goss struck out seven against Episcopal.
This week: Bridgeland on Tuesday and Thursday.

15. (19) Palo Verde (Las Vegas), 0-0
First Game: Plays Desert Oasis (Las Vegas) March 12.

16. (20) Delbarton (Morristown, N.J.), 0-0
First Game: The Green Wave opens against Morris Hills (Rockaway) on Saturday.

17. (NR) Venice (Fla.), 4-0
Results: Defeated Riverview 5-2 and Fort Myers 3-2.
This week: Sarasota on Monday, Providence (Jacksonville) on Friday, Douglas (Parkland) on Saturday.

18. (NR) Cypress (Calif.), 10-1
Results: Defeated Ocean View 6-0, Mission Viejo 8-6, La Serna 14-1.
Stats: Braden Murphy was 2-for-5 with three RBI against La Serna; Garett Crenshaw was 2-for-3 with a double against Ocean View.
This week: Pacifica on Tuesday and Wednesday.

19. (25) Har-Ber (Springdale, Ark.), 6-1
Results: Defeated Harrison 3-0, Siloam Springs 5-2 and Alma 13-3.
Stats: Blake Adams struck out seven against Harrison; Hunter Wood had a home run and three RBI against Siloam Springs and two doubles and two RBI against Alma.
This week: Bentonville on Monday and Tuesday.

20. (22) Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), 4-2
Results: Did not play.
This week: Santa Margarita on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.

21. (NR) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), 9-1
Results: Defeated Chaminade 6-1, 9-4 and 8-2.
Stats: Tyler Stromsborg struck out 10 in the first game and R.J. Gordon and Ben Griffin each hit home runs in the third game.
This week: St. Francis (La Canada) on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

22. (13) Georgetown (Texas), 14-2-1
Results: Defeated Sachse 7-0, Flower Mound 4-0, Rockwall 16-10, Dallas Jesuit 16-12, lost to Keller 10-4 and Carroll (Southlake) 7-5.
Stats: Cole Posey had a double and home run and three RBI against Sachse; Noah Thompson had a triple against Flower Mound; Jeffrey Davis was 3-for-5 with a double and home run against Rockwall; Posey was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI against Dallas Jesuit; Davis had a home run against Keller.
This week: East View (Georgetown) on Wednesday, Thursday.

23. (10) Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.), 12-3
Results: At the Perfect Game Showdown, defeated North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.), 1-0; Winder-Barrow (Winder, Ga.) 4-2 and Cartersville (Ga.) 2-0; lost to IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 5-0.
Stats: CJ Abrams went 2-for-3 with a triple against North Broward Prep; Steele Chambers was 2-for-2 with a double against Winder-Barrow.
This week: Denmark on Wednesday and Friday.

24. (11) Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.), 9-2
Results: At Perfect Game Showdown, defeated Avant Garde Academy (Kissimmee, Fla.), 4-2; Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.) 2-0; Denham Springs (La.) 10-2, lost to Buford (Ga.) 9-4.
Stats: Jonathan French was 2-for-2 with two RBI against Avant Garde; Miles Garrett struck out 14 against Woodward Academy; French was 2-for-3 with three RBI against Denham Springs.
This week: Next game March 18 vs. Norcross.

25. (NR) Nogales (Ariz.), 7-0
Results: Def. Rio Rico 7-0 and Salpointe Catholic 8-3.
Stats: Alex Ramos was 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBI against Rio Rico and Ricky Maytorena was 3-for-4 with a double against Salpointe Catholic.
This week: Douglas (Ariz.) on Monday.