Three of the top five teams in the Xcellent 25 National Baseball Rankings suffered losses last week, including No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), No. 3 Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.) and No. 5 St. Francis (Mountain View, Calif.).
The losses did not drop the three California teams entirely out of the Xcellent 25 as Mater Dei fell to No. 4, Harvard-Westlake dropped to 17 and St. Francis fell to No. 24.
Owasso (Okla.) upped its record to 33-0 and moved up to the No. 2 spot while Sharyland (Mission, Texas) comes in at No. 3.
The top debuting team of the week is Mason (Ohio), which is ranked No. 1 in the Ohio Coaches Poll and jumps in at No. 25.
MaxPreps Xcellent 50 National Baseball RankingsThe Venice High baseball team has a right to be all smiles, as it moves up to fifth in the Xcellent 25.
Photo by Marc Estrada
1. (1 last week) Pensacola Catholic (Fla.), 26-0
The Crusaders began the Class 4A state playoffs with a 10-1 victory over Florida State University (Tallahassee).
Jon Jon Burkett had a home run while
Avery Geyer went six innings and struck out five to get the win.
2. (4) Owasso (Okla.), 33-0
Preston Olmstead threw a five-inning
no-hitter and also hit two home runs in Owasso's 12-0 win over Grant
(Oklahoma City) last week. Owasso also defeated Page 4-3 and Bixby 5-1
to raise its win streak to 33 games in a row.
3. (6) Sharyland (Mission, Texas), 29-1
The Rattlers had little
trouble in bi-district play, dropping Del Rio 10-0 and 14-1 to advance
to the second round.
Tres Barrera threw a one-hit, five inning shutout
in the first game, striking out five. He also went 2-for-3 with a triple
and three RBIs in the second game.
4. (2) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 22-2
After capturing the Trinity League championship earlier in the week with a 2-1 win over Orange Lutheran (Orange), Mater Dei fell to the Lancers 4-3 on Friday for its first loss after 22 straight wins.
Davis Tominaga got the win against the Lancers while
Tyler Adkison had two doubles and three RBIs in the loss.
5. (7) Venice (Fla.), 25-3
The Indians tamed Sebastian River
(Sebastian) 8-1 in the first round of the Florida 7A playoffs.
Michael Rivera had three hits and two RBIs for the winners.
6. (8) The Woodlands (Texas), 29-3
The
Highlanders advanced to the second round of the Region II Class 5A
state playoffs with a 6-0, 8-2 sweep of Atascocita.
Blaine Gillespie had
a home run and a triple in the first game with four RBIs while
Ryan Burnett pitched a shutout with eight strikeouts. Gillespie added a
double and went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the second game.
Carter Hope got
the win, striking out nine.
7. (9) Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Colo.), 17-1
Cherry Creek
picked up four more wins last week, beating Smoky Hill (Aurora) 9-3 and
17-6, Arapahoe (Centennial) 8-0 and Grandview (Aurora) 5-2.
Griffin Jax
struck out 11 against Arapahoe while
Lane Milligan and
Matt Rindal each
hit home runs. Milligan and
Jack Gillett also homered against Smoky
Hill.
8. (10) American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 24-2
The
Patriots easily advanced to the second round of the Class 5A state
playoffs with a 10-0 win over Suncoast (Riviera Beach).
Zack Collins hit
a home run and
Shaun Anderson struck out nine in four innings for the
win.
9. (11) Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.), 25-2
Spencer Trayner, Jesuit
Photo by Marc Estrada
The Tigers began the
playoffs with a 3-0 win over Lakewood. Spencer Trayner gave up one hit
in 5 2/3 innings of work, striking out 10 and walking only
one for the win.
10. (13) Magnolia Heights (Senatobia, Miss.), 33-0
Magnolia Heights
opened MAIS postseason play with a sweep of East Rankin Academy. The
Chiefs won the first game 8-0 with Luke Latham hitting a home run. Three
pitchers also combined to throw a no-hitter. Magnolia has won 37 games
in a row.
11. (14) Barbe (Lake Charles, La.), 33-4
The Buccaneers shut out
Pineville 10-0 in five innings for a first-round playoff win. Barbe
faces Covington in the second round.
12. (15) Gainesville (Ga.), 25-3
The Red Elephants advanced to the
second round of the Georgia Class AAAAA playoffs with a sweep of Hiram. Gainesville won 7-4 and 5-1.
13. (16) Loganville (Ga.), 24-4
Loganville
won its first two games of the Georgia Class AAAAA playoffs with a pair
of wins over North Paulding, 12-2 and 5-3. Clint Frazier was 2-for-3
with a triple in the first game, but was held hitless in the second.
14. (17) Lexington (S.C.), 24-4
The Wildcats won the District 5
tournament with a 7-6 win over Lugoff-Elgin and then opened Lower State
postseason play with an 8-0 win over Beaufort. Nick Ciuffo saw his
25-game hit streak come to an end against Lugoff-Elgin.
15. (18) United (Laredo, Texas), 30-1-1
United
knocked off La Joya Palmview 4-1 and 12-1 to advance to the second
round of the Texas Class 5A playoffs. Joel Garza went the distance and
gave up two hits while striking out eight in the first game. Eduardo
Gonzalez was 3-for-4 with a triple in the other game.
16. (19) Steinbrenner (Lutz, Fla.), 23-2
Steinbrenner
had a tough first-round matchup in the Class 7A state playoffs, but
managed to get past Seminole 6-1. Jesse Haney had a double and a home
run in the win.
17. (3) Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.), 21-4
The Wolverines split their two games with Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) last week, winning 2-1 on Tuesday and losing 10-7 on Friday. The loss keeps Harvard-Westlake (7-3) in second place in the Mission League, two games behind Loyola (9-1).
18. (21) Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas), 31-2
Barbers Hill opened
the Class 4A state playoffs with a pair of wins over Little
Cypress-Mauriceville (Orange), 14-4, and 11-8. Christian Thames had five
RBIs in the first game while Austin Homan was 3-for-5 with four runs
scored in the second game.
19. (22) Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 29-4
The
Wolves advanced through the Arizona Division I playoffs with three
straight wins, defeating Cienega (Vail) 12-6, Corona del Sol (Tempe) 5-4
and Pinnacle (Phoenix) 8-5.
20. (24) Carroll (Southlake, Texas), 29-4-1
Kenny Hill had a double
and a triple to propel the Dragons to a 10-0 win over Lamar (Arlington)
and had a home run in a 5-0 bi-district win over Lamar. Nic Motley also
homered in the second game.
21. (25) Fountain Valley (Calif.), 23-2
Dillon Persinger, Fountain Valley
Photo by Terry Jack
The
Barons won their first league title since 2002 with a 7-3 win over
Edison (Huntington Beach). Fountain Valley also defeated Edison 5-4
earlier in the week.
22. (26) Melbourne (Fla.), 25-0
Melbourne's first-round Class 6A playoff game against Seabreeze (Daytona Beach) was postponed due to rain.
23. (12) Lincoln-Way North (Frankfort, Ill.), 25-1-1
Lincoln-Way North dropped its first game of the season, falling to Brother Rice (Chicago) 1-0 on Friday. Earlier in the week, the Phoenix topped Thornridge 14-0 and 9-4, Lincoln-Way East Central 12-0, and Lincoln-Way East 5-1.
24. (5) St. Francis (Mountain View, Calif.), 24-3
The Lancers
settled into a tie for first place with Serra (San Mateo) in the West
Catholic Athletic League after falling to Bellarmine (San Jose) and a
5-4 loss to Valley Christian (San Jose). St. Francis finishes up the
regular season against Archbishop Riordan on Tuesday.
25. (NR) Mason (Ohio), 20-0
The Comets are ranked No. 1 in the Division I state rankings in Ohio.
The Next 25
26. (28) Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 19-2
The Crusaders won five
games, topping Badin (Hamilton) 2-1, St. Xavier (Cincinnati) 6-4,
Turpin (Cincinnati) 5-4, Elder (Cincinnati) 4-2 and Highlands (Fort
Thomas, Ky.), 7-2.
27. (29) Tullahoma (Tenn.), 30-5
Zack Lampkin, Tullahoma
Photo by Alyson Boyer Rode
Tullahoma won three times last week, defeating Blackman 11-1, Coffee County 11-6 and Lawrence County 3-1.
28. (30) East Coweta (Sharpsburg, Ga.), 26-2
East
Coweta opened the postseason with a pair of shutouts over Rockdale
County, winning 13-0 and 16-0 in the first round of the Class AAAAAA
playoffs.
29. (32) Coronado (Henderson, Nev.), 26-2
Coronado knocked off Eldorado (Las Vegas) 14-7, Foothill (Henderson) 12-1 and Cheyenne (North Las Vegas) 11-0.
30. (36) Deer Park (Texas), 26-3-1
The Deer won their bi-district matchup with Dobie 12-1 in the Texas 5A playoffs.
31. (37) Granada (Livermore, Calif.), 20-0
Two more wins for the Matadors, who defeated Foothill (Pleasanton) 7-2 and Amador Valley (Pleasanton) 15-0.
32. (38) Tomball (Texas), 27-3
The Cougars opened the postseason with a 10-0 win over Reagan (Houston) in bi-district play.
33. (39) Spanish Fort (Ala.), 34-6
The Toros advanced to the semifinals of the Class 5A state playoffs with a 12-0, 7-1 sweep of Brookwood.
34. (43) Frenship (Wolfforth, Texas), 31-4
Frenship won its bi-district matchup with Dumas, 10-0 and 11-1, to advance in the Class 4A tournament.
35. (44) Puyallup (Wash.), 19-2
Puyallup won a key 4A showdown with Kentwood (Covington), capturing a 2-1 victory.
36. (45) Jupiter (Fla.), 21-4
Jupiter advanced to the second round with a 9-2 win over Park Vista and will take on Seminole Ridge.
37. (47) Richmond (Rockingham, N.C.), 21-1
The Raiders defeated Pinecrest (Southern Pines) 2-1 and Scotland (Laurinburg) 2-0 in the SEC Tournament.
38. (49) Madison (Vienna, Va.), 17-1
Madison defeated South Lakes 6-1 and Langley 7-4 and is ranked No. 1 by the Washington Post.
39. (50) Pearland (Texas), 28-5
Pearland won its bi-district playoff game with Sterling (Baytown) 8-0.
40. (NR) Klein (Texas), 28-3
Klein won its bi-district matchup with a 22-12, 7-3 sweep of A&M Consolidated.
41. (NR) Tucson High Magnet School (Ariz.), 29-4-1
The Badgers have won 13 in a row heading into the semifinals of the Division I winners bracket and will face Desert Mountain.
42. (48) Flora (Columbia, S.C.), 20-5
The Falcons lost 5-2 to Emerald (Greenwood) in the District IV playoffs, but came back to defeat Emerald 8-0 to advance to the Upper State playoffs.
43. (NR) Floyd Central (Floyds Knobs, Ind.), 21-0
Ranked No. 1 in the state by Prep Baseball Report.
44. (NR) St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.), 17-0
Rob Kaminsky, St. Joseph Regional
Photo by Daniel Coppola
A win over New Jersey's top team Gloucester Catholic puts St. Joseph Regional in the rankings.
45. (NR) Mosley (Lynn Haven, Fla.), 25-3
Mosley opened the Class 6A playoffs with a 5-1 win over Pace.
46. (NR) Howell (St. Charles, Mo.), 26-5
Howell is ranked No. 1 by the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
47. (NR) Harrison Central (Gulfport, Miss.), 23-2
The Red Rebels have won 17 in a row.
48. (35) Gloucester Catholic (N.J.), 16-3
The
Rams lost to Cumberland (Seabrook) 5-4 and St. Joseph Regional
(Montvale) 6-1 last week while also picking up a 12-0 win over Deptford
and an 11-1 win over Schalick (Pittsgrove).
49. (42) Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 22-4
The Broncos split their two games with Westview (San Diego) last week, winning 9-0 and losing 6-4.
50. (NR) Orange Lutheran (Calif.), 17-7
A win over Mater Dei puts the Lancers back into the rankings.
Dropped out: No. 20 Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.), No. 23 Desert Ridge (Mesa, Ariz.), No. 27 O'Connor (Phoenix), No. 31 Madison Central (Miss.), No. 33 Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), No. 34 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), No. 40 Greenway (Phoenix), No. 41 Flower Mound (Texas), No. 46 Brandon (Miss.).