High school baseball postseason play is in full swing in the Southern part of the United States. The spotlight is on Baton Rouge, where Top 25 No. 1 Catholic (Baton Rouge, La.) takes on defending state champion Jesuit (New Orleans).
Catholic begins its second week at the No. 1 spot in the Top 25 after a pair of wins over Pineville in the second round of the Select Division 1 playoffs. The Bears, who have won 16 in a row, advance to the quarterfinals where they take on Jesuit in a best-of-three series for the right to advance to the semifinals against either Acadiana (Lafayette) or Northwood (Shreveport).
In California, the Southern Section playoffs get underway this week with No. 2 Corona, No. 7 Orange Lutheran (Orange) and No. 8 Harvard-Westlake (Studio City) all await their first-round matchups in the Division 1 bracket.
In Mississippi, No. 3 Jackson Prep (Jackson) awaits the beginning of the MAIS postseason. The Patriots have won 20 in a row since losing to Ocean Springs on March 11.
No. 4 Flower Mound also begins postseason play in Texas with a bi-district series against Little Elm.
Dropped out: No. 19 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), No. 20 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), No. 25 Serra (San Mateo, Calif.)
Newcomers: No. 18 Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.); No. 24 Sam Houston (Lake Charles, La.); No. 25 Valley View (Jonesboro, Ark.)
Game of the Week: Jackson Prep def. Jackson Academy (Jackson, Miss.), 9-8. After dropping Jackson Academy by identical 11-1 scores the first two games of the three-game series, Jackson Prep needed to rally for a run in the bottom of the sixth to edge Academy, 9-8. Tre’ Bryant had the game-winning RBI with a single.
Game to Watch: Barbe vs. Mandeville (La.). While the Catholic vs. Jesuit matchup is certainly one to watch in Division 1 Select in Louisiana, don’t overlook Barbe’s contest with Mandeville. Barbe is the defending state champion and the No. 1 seed in Division 1 Non-Select but Mandeville (27-8) is no pushover. The Skippers have a win this year over defending Division 1 Select champion Jesuit and also handed No. 1 Catholic one of its two losses this year.
Player of the Week: Slade Caldwell, Valley View. One of the top outfielders in the nation, Caldwell had four doubles and a home run last week in four wins, including a 3-0 shutout of Rogers, to boost Valley View into the Top 25 this week.
Streaks: Eaton (Colo.) upped its season record to 15-0 and put the nation’s longest active streak at 56 wins in a row.
Top 25 baseball rankings
1. Catholic (Baton Rouge, La.)
Record: 34-2 | Last week: 1
Scores: Def. Pineville, 8-1, 15-2
Hitter of the week: Wyatt Chenevert had a triple and three RBI in the 15-2 win.
Pitcher of the week: William Schmidt struck out 12 and allowed one run on four hits over seven innings in the 8-1 win.
Next: Tuesday vs. Jesuit (New Orleans)
2. Corona (Calif.)
Record: 25-3 | Last week: 2
Scores: Def. Roosevelt (Eastvale), 18-2, 5-1, 12-6
Hitter of the week: Josh Springer went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in the 5-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Seth Hernandez got the 18-2 win, going five innings and allowing two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts.
Next: TBD
3. Jackson Prep (Jackson, Miss.)
Record: 35-2 | Last week: 3
Scores: Def. Jackson Academy, 11-1, 11-1, 9-8
Hitter/Pitcher of the week: Another huge week for Konnor Griffin, who went 6-for-8 in the three wins with six runs, nine RBI, a triple and two home runs. He also picked up a pitching win, going five innings in an 11-1 win and giving up one run on one hit with nine strikeouts.
Next: TBD
4. Flower Mound (Texas)
Record: 30-3 | Last week: 4
Scores: Def. Hebron, 3-2, 3-0
Hitter of the week: Adrian Rodriguez went 2-for-2 with a triple in the 3-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Cooper Harris tossed a seven-inning no-hitter with nine strikeouts in a 3-0 win.
Next: Thursday vs. Little Elm
5. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Record: 18-0 | Last week: 5
Scores: Def. St. Xavier, 7-6; def. Indian Hill, 7-6, def. St. Xavier, 6-1; def. Dixie Heights, 9-2
Hitter of the week: Will McCullough went 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI in 6-1 win over St. Xavier.
Pitcher of the week: Zion Theophilus threw five innings and struck out 13 against St. Xavier.
Next: Monday vs. La Salle (Cincinnati)
6. Central (Phenix City, Ala.)
Record: 35-3 | Last week: 7
Scores: Def. Prattville, 3-1, 7-1
Hitter of the week: Landon Beaver went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and three RBI in 3-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Cam Norton fanned 10 in six innings in 3-1 win.
Next: Wednesday vs. Baker
7. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Record: 22-6 | Last week: 6
Scores: Def. St. John Bosco, 3-2, 4-3, lost to St. John Bosco, 8-2
Hitter of the week: Brady Murrietta went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the 4-3 win.
Pitcher of the week: Tristan Ramos got a 3-2 win, giving up one run on two hits with three strikeouts.
Next: TBD
8. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Record: 23-4-1 | Last week: 8
Scores: Def. Bishop Alemany, 4-2, 10-3
Hitter of the week: Duncan Marsten went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and five RBI in 10-3 win.
Next: TBD
9. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
Record: 26-1-1 | Last week: 9
Scores: Def. Dallas Christian, 11-1
Hitter of the week: A.J. DePaolo went 3-for-4 with three RBI in win over Dallas Christian.
Pitcher of the week: Jack Applegate got the 11-1 win with seven strikeouts.
Next: May 7 vs. Trinity Christian Academy/Cathedral winner
10. Tomball (Texas)
Record: 29-3 | Last week: 10
Scores: Def. Klein Cain, 13-1; 1-0
Hitter of the week: Cade Arrambide went 2-for-5 with two home runs an seven RBI in 13-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: C.J. Sampson went six innings and struck out 10 in 13-1 win.
Next: Thursday vs. Cy Falls
11. Pensacola Catholic (Pensacola, Fla.)
Record: 24-1 | Last week: 11
Scores: Def. Central (Milton), 3-0; def. Pace, 12-2; def. Gulf Breeze, 15-1
Hitter of the week: Ben Bates went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and four RBI in the 15-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Colton Guillot got the 3-0 win, going 5.2 innings with no runs on one hit with 10 strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. Maclay/Florida State University winner
12. Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.)
Record: 27-5 | Last week: 12
Scores: Def. Camden County, 10-0, 13-0
Hitter of the week: Cade Brown went 4-for-8 with four RBI, four runs, a double and two home runs in the two wins. Brown leads the nation with 14 home runs.
Pitcher of the week: Thorpe Musci got the 10-0 win, going five innings and giving up no runs on one hit with six strikeouts.
Next: Wednesday vs. North Paulding
13. Lincoln-Way West (New Lenox, Ill.)
Record: 20-0 | Last week: 13
Scores: Def. Homewood-Flossmoor, 12-2; def. Downers Grove North, 5-0; def. Lemont, 18-5
Hitter of the week: In three games last week, Anthony Massa went 8-for-13 with eight RBI, a double, a triple and two home runs.
Pitcher of the week: Conor Essenburg went 6.2 innings for the win over Downers Grove North, striking out 13 and giving up no runs on one hit.
Next: Monday vs. Andrew
14. Prosper (Texas)
Record: 27-5 | Last week: 15
Scores: Def. McKinney, 12-1; 2-1
Hitter of the week: Luke Billings went 2-for-2 with a double and a home run with two RBI in 12-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Aiden White threw five innings and struck out 13 while allowing one run on four hits in 12-1 win.
Next: Thursday vs. Coppell
15. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Record: 19-5 | Last week: 16
Scores: Def. Neumann, 7-1; def. Westminster Christian, 9-0
Hitter of the week: Devin Fitz-Gerald went 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI in the win over Neumann.
Pitcher of the week: Jayden Dubanewicz struck out eight and gave up one runs on two hits over six innings against Neumann.
Next: Tuesday vs. Monarch/Coral Springs winner
16. North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.)
Record: 21-3 | Last week: 17
Scores: Def. West Boca Raton, 4-3; def. Killian, 4-3
Hitter of the week: Riley Luft went 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI against West Boca Raton.
Pitcher of the week: Filippo Baldassarri went two innings and gave up no runs on one hit with four strikeouts against Killian.
Next: Tuesday vs. Saint Andrew’s
17. Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.)
Record: 23-2 | Last week: 18
Scores: Def. Pembroke Pines Charter, 11-6; def. JC Bermudez Doral, 9-0
Hitter of the week: Sebastian Berrios went 3-for-3 with four runs, a double, a home run and two RBI in the 9-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Aaron Elissalt struck out seven and gave up no runs on two hits in three innings in the shutout.
Next: Tuesday vs. Southridge/Miami Beach winner
18. Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
Record: 21-1 | Last week: 25
Scores: Def. University Liggett, 12-1, 13-0
Hitter of the week: Tristan Crane went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI in 13-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Blake Ilitch struck out 14 and allowed no runs on three hits in seven innings in 3-0 win.
Next: Tuesday vs. St. Francis (Toledo)
19. Harlem (Ga.)
Record: 30-1 | Last week: 21
Scores: Def. Dougherty, 15-1, 15-1
Hitter/Pitcher of the week: Amerson Guy had five hits in the two-game series, including a three-run double. He also threw five innings in the second game and allowed one hit.
Next: Monday vs. Peach County
20. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 31-5 | Last week: 22
Scores: Def. Sulphur, 3-2, 3-0
Hitter of the week: Diego Corrales had a pair of RBI in the 3-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Lawton Littleton threw a seven-inning, one-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts in a 3-0 win.
Next: Wednesday vs. Mandeville
21. North Cobb Christian (Kennesaw, Ga.)
Record: 28-4 | Last week: 14
Scores: Def. Fannin County, 9-5; lost to Fannin County, 4-3; def. Fannin County, 11-1
Hitter of the week: Jackson Uggla went 1-for-2 with a grand slam in an 11-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Ross Rea had 10 strikeouts and gave up one run on three hits in five innings of an 11-1 win.
Next: Wednesday vs. Callaway
22. Grapevine (Texas)
Record: 28-3 | Last week: 23
Scores: Def. Richland, 5-2, 5-2
Hitter of the week: Sammy Kelley went 3-for-3 with two doubles in the second game of the series.
Pitcher of the week: Luke Schreyer went seven innings and gave up two runs on four hits with three strikeouts in the first game.
Next: Thursday vs. Mansfield Timberview
23. Granada (Livermore, Calif.)
Record: 21- | Last week: 24
Scores: Def. Dublin, 2-0, 4-1
Hitter of the week: Nate Brown went 2-for-3 with two RBI in the 4-1 win.
Pitcher of the week: Jake Sekany pitched a seven-inning shutout, giving up two hits with eight strikeouts.
Next: Wednesday vs. Livermore
24. Sam Houston (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 30-4 | Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Walker, 11-0, 4-0
Hitter of the week: Dylan Bell went 3-for-3 with a triple in the 4-0 win.
Pitcher of the week: Nik Toups threw a two-hit shutout in an 11-0 win, striking out six and walking none.
Next: Wednesday vs. Live Oak
25. Valley View (Jonesboro, Ark.)
Record: 24-2 | Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Rogers, 3-0; def. Fayetteville, 7-3; def. Paragould, 9-5, 17-5
Hitter of the week: Slade Caldwell went 8-for-13 with four doubles and a home run during the four games last week.
Pitcher of the week: Lance Davis struck out eight in 3.2 innings and allowed no runs on one hit in 3-0 win.
Next: Tuesday vs. Searcy
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