For awhile, it looked like IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) was going to sweep through the state of Texas in impressive fashion, but then Marcus (Flower Mound) got in the way. The Mauraders jump into this week's MaxPreps Top 25 high school baseball rankings after their 6-5 win over the Ascenders, who fall three spots to No. 5.
IMG Academy had looked impressive beating two-time defending Texas state champion Southlake Carroll 11-0 and Flower Mound 16-0 before the loss. IMG Academy slides below Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), which was ranked No. 1 in 2020 when the season ended, Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Buford (Ga.), both of which are undefeated.
Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.) holds on to the top spot with a single win last week. The Tigers face a tough test this week when they take on Venice (Fla.)
Dropped out: No. 10 Jackson Prep (Jackson, Miss.); No. 14 North Paulding (Dallas, Ga.); No. 15 Venice (Fla.); No. 20 Prosper (Texas); No. 22 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).
Game of the Week: Marcus 6, IMG Academy 5. Jake Duer's RBI single in the top of the sixth scored Tyler Schott from second to break the tie with IMG Academy. Schott was 3-for-4 in the win while Duer was 2-for-3. The duo combined to score five of Marcus's six runs. IMG Academy got a home run from Sam Hunt, but managed four hits in the loss.
Player of the Week: Jackson Ferris, IMG Academy. Although Ferris tossed a four-inning perfect game in a dominant 16-0 win over Flower Mound. Ferris did not allow a ball to be put into play as he struck out all 12 he faced. A total of 44 of his 58 pitches were strikes. The closest he got to losing the perfect game was the first batter in the fourth inning when Ferris threw three straight balls to open the at-bat. However Ferris got the Flower Mound batter on three straight swinging strikes. The perfect game is the second no-hitter of the season for Ferris.
Recruit Watch: Dylan Lesko, Buford. Perhaps the top pitcher in the class of 2022, Lesko has not allowed a hit in nine innings pitched with only one batter reaching base on an error and another to reach on a walk. He struck out nine in both outings, including a 10-0 no-hitter against Shiloh.
Game to Watch: Jesuit (Tampa) vs. Venice. Jesuit is ranked No. 1, but could get a battle from Venice, the two-time defending state champions at the Class 6A level. Venice is off to a 3-2 start with losses to Braden River and Sarasota.
Streaks: Andrean (Merrillville, Ind.). The Fighting 59ers have not lost since winning the Class 3A state championship in
2019. Coach Dave Pishkur, who is the all-time winningest coach in Indiana, has guided Andrean to 34 straight wins, which is the second best total in the nation heading into the 2021 season behind Webster (Wis.).
Camron Montz, Marcus
Photo by Tommy Hays
MaxPreps Top 25 baseball rankings
1. Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
Record: 3-0 |
Last week: 1
Results: Def. Tampa Catholic, 12-0
Stats: Alden Segui,
Dominic Castellano and
Ryan Denison each struck out four over five innings on a combined no-hitter against Tampa Catholic.
Nick Rodriguez had a triple and a home run in the win.
Next: Tuesday vs. Hillsborough; Friday vs. Venice.
2. Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 3
Next: Season opens March 12.
3. Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Record: 4-0 |
Last week: 4
Results: Def. Miami Christian, 7-0
Stats: Andrew Painter and
Irving Carter each struck out nine batters and
Rene Lastres hit a home run in the lone win of the week.
Next: Friday vs. Denmark (Ga.); Saturday vs. Pacelli (Ga.).
4. Buford (Ga.)
Record: 6-0 |
Last week: 5
Results: Def. Shiloh 10-0, 13-0 and 9-0.
Stats: Dylan Lesko threw a five-inning, no-hitter with nine strikeouts in the 10-0 win while
Jackson Gaspard struck out nine in the 9-0 victory.
Next: March 8 vs. Lanier
5. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 5-1 |
Last week: 2
Results: Def. Southlake Carroll, 11-0; def. Flower Mound, 16-0; lost to Marcus, 6-5.
Stats: Mason Albright struck out seven against Southlake Carroll while
Jackson Ferris threw a four-inning perfect game with 12 strikeouts against Flower Mound.
Elijah Green and
James Wood each added a home run. Drew Gray had eight strikeouts in the loss to Marcus while Sam Hunt had a home run.
Next: March 10 vs. Montverde Academy.
6. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 5-0 |
Last week: 7
Results: Def. Sulphur 2-0; Glenmora 10-0; Tioga 6-0; Glenmora 15-2 and West Monroe 5-2.
Next: Tuesday vs. South Beauregard
7. St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 6
Next: State begins play March 24.
8. Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
Record: 4-0-1 |
Last week: 9
Results: Def. Flower Mound, 9-6; def. Southlake Carroll, 8-1; def. Prosper, 5-4; def. South Grand Prairie, 1-0; tied Flower Mound, 3-3.
Next: Tuesday vs. Hutto
9. Spruce Creek (Port Orange, Fla.)
Record: 5-0 |
Last week: 12
Results: Def. Olympia, 9-1; def. Viera, 6-3; def. DeLand, 8-4.
Stats: Sebastian Iguaran had two doubles against Olympia.
Next: Tuesday vs. Flagler Palm Coast; Wednesday vs. Hagerty.
10. Carrollton (Ga.)
Record: 8-0 |
Last week: 13
Results: Def. St. Pius X Catholic, 6-2; def. Ola, 8-1; def. Campbell, 3-0; def. Etowah, 3-2.
Stats: Eli Runyan struck out nine against Ola. Bear Madliak had a home run against Etowah.
Next: Thursday at Helena; Thurs at Daphne.
11. Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas)
Record: 4-1-1 |
Last week: NR
Results: Def. Rockwall Heath, 11-4; def. Prosper, 2-1; def. Southlake Carroll, 5-1; lost to South Grand Prairie, 6-5; tied Lake Travis, 3-3; def. IMG Academy, 6-5.
Stats: Tyler Schott struck out eight against Southlake Carroll.
Next: Saturday vs. Centennial (Frisco).
12. Winder-Barrow (Winder, Ga.)
Record: 5-0 |
Last week: 18
Results: Def. Archer, 10-6; def. Peachtree Ridge, 7-6.
Stats: Andreaus Lewis had two home runs, including a grand slam, against Archer.
Next: Tuesday vs. Peachtree Ridge
13. Woodstock (Ga.)
Record: 5-1 |
Last week: NR
Results: Lost to Walton, 2-1; def. Lambert, 7-0; lost to Denmark, 10-4.
Next: Tuesday vs. Kell; Thursday vs. North Cobb.
14. Calvary Christian (Clearwater, Fla.)
Record: 4-1 |
Last week: 8
Results: Def. Tarpon Springs, 10-0; lost to Lakeland Christian, 4-2.
Stats: Landen Maroudis had a home run against Tarpon Springs.
Next: Tuesday vs. Boca Ciega.
15. Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.)
Record: 4-0 |
Last week: NR
Results: Def. Wellington, 6-1; def. Stoneman Douglas, 7-4
Next: Tues. vs. Cardinal Newman; Friday vs. Dwyer.
16. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Record: 5-1 |
Last week: 11
Results: Def. Coral Reef, 12-2; def. Taravella, 7-3; lost to Palm Beach Gardens, 7-4.
Stats: Grant McDonald was 3-for-3 with two doubles against Coral Reef.
Christian Rodriguez struck out nine against Taravella.
Next: Tuesday vs. Western; Thursday vs. Archbishop McCarthy.
17. Vestavia Hills (Ala.)
Record: 7-1 |
Last week: 16
Results: Lost to Hillcrest, 5-4; def. Oak Mountain, 3-2.
Stats: Joseph Sullivan and
Connor Witherington both doubled against Oak Mountain.
Next: March 9 vs. Hoover.
18. Houston County (Warner Robins, Ga.)
Record: 6-1 |
Last week: 17
Results: Def. Veterans, 15-2; def. Hartselle, 4-3; def. Locust Grove, 10-1; lost to Hartselle, 3-2.
Stats: Drew Burress had a home run against Veterans and two doubles against Hartselle.
Gage Harrelson had a triple against Locust Grove.
Next: March 9 vs. Veterans.
19. Reagan (San Antonio)
Record: 6-1 |
Last week: 21
Results: Def. Lee, 27-0; def. Austin McNeil, 14-0; def. San Angelo Central, 6-0; lost to Round Rock, 3-1; def. Georgetown 5-4; def. Stony Point, 2-1. Billy Baehr threw a four-inning no-hitter against McNeil.
Next: Tuesday vs. MacArthur; Thursday vs. Eagle Pass.
20. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)
Record: 5-0 |
Last week: NR
Results: Def. Flowery Branch, 5-3; def. South Forsyth, 7-5; def. Lowndes, 6-4.
Next: Tue. vs. Mill Creek; Fri. vs. Hillgrove; Sat. vs. Wesleyan.
21. John Carroll Catholic (Fort Pierce, Fla.)
Record: 4-0 |
Last week: NR
Results: Def. American Heritage (Delray), 11-1; def. Fort Pierce Westwood, 11-1; def. Sebastian River, 6-0.
Next: Tuesday vs. Central Pointe Christian; Sat. vs. Episcopal School.
22. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 19
Next: March 8 vs. Livermore.
23. Heritage Hall (Oklahoma City)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 23
Next: Tuesday vs. Carl Albert; Thursday vs. Deer Creek.
24. Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 24
Next: March 16-18 Grand Slam Tournament
25. Charlotte Christian (Charlotte, N.C.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 25
Next: March 4 vs. Combine Academy