High school baseball rankings: Another new No. 1 in MaxPreps Top 25

No. 1 teams have had a hard time maintaining their position in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school baseball rankings this season. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) is the latest example after taking the top spot last week and promptly losing twice to Trinity League rival Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.).

Corona (Calif.) takes over at No. 1 after outscoring opponents 47-3 last week. The Panthers, who fell to Orange Lutheran earlier this month, have a rough road ahead as they participate in the Southern California Boras Classic next week and then travel to North Carolina the following week to participate in the National High School Invitational.

Orange Lutheran dropped all the way to No. 12 after back-to-back losses to defending Trinity League champion Santa Margarita, who jumped into the rankings at No. 11.


Central (Phenix City, Ala.) might be the hottest team in the nation. The Red Devils have won 12 straight since losing a game to Mill Creek (Hoschton, Ga.). They move to No. 3 after Catholic-B.R. (Baton Rouge, La.) and Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.) both lost last week.

Dropped out: No. 11 Valley Christian (San Jose, Calif.), No. 15. Friendswood (Texas), No. 22 Bishop Verot (Fort Myers, Fla.), No. 25 Rogers (Ark.)

Newcomers: No. 11 Santa Margarita, No. 15 North Cobb Christian (Kennesaw, Ga.), No. 23 Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.), No. 24 Las Vegas (Nev.)

Game of the Week: Orange Lutheran 4, Santa Margarita 3. The Lancers won the first game of the three-game Trinity League series by scoring a run in the top of the eighth after the Eagles had tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Gabe Fraser doubled home Brady Murrietta with the winning run.

Game to Watch: North Cobb Christian vs. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). The Ascenders host the Eagles on Wednesday in the third round of the IMG National Classic. North Cobb Christian entered the rankings this week after a 16-1 start.

Player of the Week: Seth Hernandez, Corona. The Panther had a strong week at the plate and on the mound. He struck out 11 in a 22-2 win over King (Riverside) and also had a home run with five RBI. He also went 2-for-5 in a 16-1 win over King two days later and 1-for-3 on Monday against Santiago.

Streaks: Eaton (Colo.) opened its season with a 4-0 record to push its win streak to 45 games in a row. Eaton holds the Colorado state record with 60 straight wins between 2008 and 2010. MaxPreps Top 25 baseball rankings

1. Corona (Calif.)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 4
Scores: Def. King (Riverside), 22-2, 16-1; def. Santiago (Corona), 9-0
Hitter/Pitcher of the week: Seth Hernandez had a huge game in a 22-2 win. He struck out 11 in picking up the win and he also went 2-for-2 with a double, a home run and five RBI.
Next: Wednesday vs. Santiago (Corona)

2. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Record: 13-1-1 | Last week: 6
Scores: Def. Crespi, 8-2, 6-5, 7-4
Hitter of the week: Ira Rootman went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI in a 7-4 win.
Pitcher of the week: Jacob Magna went five innings in a 7-4 win, giving up no runs on one hit with a strikeout.
Next: Tuesday vs. Chaminade

3. Central (Phenix City, Ala.)
Record: 21-1 | Last week: 7
Scores: Def. Siloam Springs, 9-1; def. Elberta, 9-2; def. Cashion, 13-3
Hitter of the week: Landon Beaver went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI against Cashion.
Pitcher of the week: Briggs Cameron went 4.2 innings and gave up one run on two hits with six strikeouts against Siloam Springs.
Next: Thursday vs. Headland

4. Catholic-B.R. (Baton Rouge, La.)
Record: 20-2 | Last week: 2
Scores: Def. Bourgeois, 7-3; lost to Mandeville, 4-1; def. Mandeville, 11-0
Hitter of the week: Sam Procell went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI against Bourgeois.
Pitcher of the week: William Schmidt tossed a six-inning one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts in an 11-0 win.
Next: Tuesday vs. Liberty Magnet (Baton Rouge)

5. Bob Jones (Madison, Ala.)
Record: 23-4 | Last week: 8
Scores: Def. Huntsville, 9-4; def. Buckhorn, 14-4; def. Grissom, 4-1; def. Chelsea, 1-0; def. Tuscaloosa County, 11-4
Hitter of the week: Zack Johnson went 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI against Tuscaloosa County.
Pitcher of the week: Braden Booth went seven innings and gave up no runs on five hits with six strikeouts in 1-0 win over Chelsea.
Next: Thursday vs. Rossview

6. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 9
Scores: Def. George Jenkins (Lakeland, Fla.), 5-0; def. Bergen Catholic (N.J.), 5-1; def. Spanish Fort (Ala.), 16-1
Hitter of the week: Noah Franco went 2-for-3 with a double and five RBI against Spanish Fort.
Pitcher of the week: Blake Larson went six innings and gave up no runs on one hit with 10 strikeouts in win over George Jenkins.
Next: Tuesday vs. Landon (Bethesda, Md.)

7. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
Record: 18-0-1 | Last week: 12
Scores: Def. TCA, 4-2, 8-4
Next: April 5 vs. Bishop Lynch

8. Jackson Prep (Jackson, Miss.)
Record: 20-2 | Last week: 13
Scores: Def. Hartfield Academy, 8-1; def. Northpoint Christian, 13-9
Hitter of the week: Peyton Puckett had a home run and four RBI in the 13-9 win.
Pitcher of the week: Gardner Young struck out three in two innings of work against Northpoint Christian.
Next: Tuesday vs. Madison Ridgeland Academy

9. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Record: 9-2 | Last week: 3
Scores: Def. Coral Glades, 11-1; lost to St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale), 7-3; def. Monsignor Pace, 9-1
Hitter of the week: Devin Fitz-Gerald went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI against Monsignor Pace.
Pitcher of the week: Breylynn Courtney got win over Monsignor Pace, Courtney gave up no runs on three hits in 4.2 innings with six strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. Cardinal Gibbons

10. Flower Mound (Texas)
Record: 18-3 | Last week: 14
Scores: Def. Plano, 17-2, 8-7
Hitter of the week: Adrian Rodriguez went 3-for-3 with a home run, four runs scored and three RBI in the 17-2 win.
Pitcher of the week: Josh Glaser threw three no-hit innings with two strikeouts in the 17-2 win.
Next: Tuesday vs. Plano West

11. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
Record: 10-4-1 | Last week: NR
Scores: Lost to Orange Lutheran, 4-3; def. Orange Lutheran, 14-4, 6-3
Hitter of the week: Carter Enoch went 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBI against Orange Lutheran.
Pitcher of the week: Ethan Russell struck out six and got the win in a 14-4 victory over Orange Lutheran.
Next: April 1 vs. Damien (LaVerne)

12. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Record: 11-3 | Last week: 1
Scores: Def. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), 4-3; lost to Santa Margarita, 14-4, 6-3
Hitter of the week: Gabe Fraser had a double among his two hits with three RBI in the 4-3 win.
Pitcher of the week: Ross Clark struck out seven in five innings in the 4-3 win.
Next: Tuesday/Wednesday/Saturday vs. Servite (Anaheim)

13. Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.)
Record: 15-3 | Last week: 10
Scores: Def. Loganville, 5-1; def. South Gwinnett, 25-0, 31-0; lost to Newton, 4-2
Hitter of the week: Cade Brown went 3-for-3 with four runs scored, a double and two home runs with six RBI in a 25-0 win. He also went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, a double and three RBI in the 31-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Thorpe Musci went seven innings against Loganville, giving up one run on three hits with seven strikeouts.
Next: Wednesday vs. Newton

14. North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.)
Record: 10-2 | Last week: 5
Scores: Lost to Pine Crest, 6-4
Next: Tuesday vs. John Paul II Academy (Boca Raton)

15. North Cobb Christian (Kennesaw, Ga.)
Record: 16-1 | Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Westminster, 6-1; def. Landon, 6-0
Hitter of the week: Jackson Uggla had a pair of RBI against Landon.
Pitcher of the week: Asher Sabom struck out nine in four innings against Westminster.
Next: Tuesday vs. IMG Academy

16. Argyle (Texas)
Record: 13-2-2 | Last week: 16
Scores: Def. Richland, 3-0, 3-1; def. TCA, 13-6
Hitter of the week: Colton Roquemore went 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI in the win over Trinity Chrisitan.
Pitcher of the week: Alex D'Angelo gave up no runs on two hits with six strikeouts in six innings against Richland.
Next: Tuesday vs. Colleyville Heritage

17. Lewisburg (Olive Branch, Miss.)
Record: 14-3 | Last week: 18
Scores: Def. Blessed Trinity, 10-0; def. Augusta Christian, 14-7
Hitter of the week: Talon Haley had a double and a home run against Augusta Christian.
Pitcher of the week: Matthew Osteen went four innings and gave up no runs on three hits with five strikeouts against Blessed Trinity.
Next: Tuesday vs. Horn Lake

18. Harlem (Ga.)
Record: 20-0 | Last week: 19
Scores: Def. Hephzibah, 15-0, 15-0; def. North Augusta, 2-0, 9-0
Next: Tuesday vs. Academy of Richmond County

19. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 20
Scores: Def. Strongsville, 12-2
Hitter of the week: Will McCullough went 3-for-3 with four runs scored, a double and an RBI.
Next: Tuesday vs. Ryle

20. Calvary Christian (Clearwater, Fla.)
Record: 11-1 | Last week: 21
Scores: Def. Providence School, 11-1; def. Clearwater Central Catholic, 9-0
Hitter of the week: Cameron Uzzillia had a home run and three RBI in the 9-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Grayson Gibson struck out nine and gave up no runs on one hit in five innings against Clearwater Central Catholic.
Next: Wednesday vs. Palm Harbor University

21. Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 23
Scores: Def. Providence School, 5-1; def. Ponte Vera, 6-2; def. Clay, 2-1
Hitter of the week: Maddox Lee went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI against Ponte Vedra.
Pitcher of the week: Ethan Wheeler struck out seven and gave up one run on two hits in a 2-1 win over Clay.
Next: Tuesday vs. Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.)

22. Dallas Jesuit (Dallas, Texas)
Record: 19-2 | Last week: 17
Scores: Def. Lake Highlands, 8-0; lost to Lake Highlands, 1-0; def. Irving, 16-1
Hitter of the week: Braxton Barber went 2-for-4 with three RBI against Irving.
Pitcher of the week: Asher Levy went six innings against Lake Highlands and threw six shutout innings with two hits and three strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. Irving

23. Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Miami, 17-0; def. Gulliver Prep, 12-1, def. Melbourne, 10-0
Hitter of the week: Jaydn Nunez went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and five RBI against Gulliver Prep.
Pitcher of the week: Marcelo Rodriquez went 5.2 innings against Melbourne, giving up no runs on three hits with six strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. South Dade

24. Las Vegas (Nev.)
Record: 14-0-1 | Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Desert Oasis, 7-3; def. Bonanza, 4-3; def. San Dieguito, 4-3
Hitter of the week: Kyle Iverson went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple against Bonanza.
Pitcher of the week: Carter Francom went four innings and gave up no runs on two hits with four strikeouts against Bonanza.