The 2024 high school baseball season is only two weeks old and already a number of top-ranked teams have suffered losses – largely because many of the top teams have already faced each other. Nine team’s in this week’s Top 25 rankings already have at least one setback.
Two weeks ago, California powers Harvard-Westlake (Studio City), Corona, Orange Lutheran (Orange), Huntington Beach and JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano) all participated in the same tournament with Corona and Orange Lutheran advancing to the final while the other three teams absorbed losses.
Corona and Orange Lutheran will meet next week to determine the tournament champion.
Last week, more top-ranked teams met with Texas Class 6A state champion Flower Mound defeating Louisiana Class 5A state champion Barbe (Lake Charles). Barbe has another tough game this week with a matchup against defending National Champion IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.).
Two of the top teams in Louisiana tangled in a three-game series last week with Catholic-B.R. (Baton Rouge) sweeping No. 2 West Monroe. Catholic, which had inadvertently been dropped from the rankings last week after an exhibition was interpreted as a regular season game, began the season at No. 19. The Bears moved up to No. 6 this week with the sweep while West Monroe dropped to No. 18.
With so many high-profile games, teams with at least one loss like Harvard-Westlake, JSerra Catholic, Huntington Beach, Barbe, Flower Mound and West Monroe all stayed in the rankings for at least another week.
Dropped out: No. 4 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), No. 6 Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.), No. 16 Chaparral (Scottsdale, Ariz.), No. 24 Tomball (Texas)
Newcomers: No. 6 Catholic (Baton Rouge), No. 16 Prosper (Texas), No. 17 Kingwood (Texas) and No. 20 Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Game of the Week: IMG Academy def. Braden River (Bradenton, Fla.), 3-2. The defending National Champions had a tough outing in their first game of the season as they needed a run in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Braden River. Jackson LaLima singled with two outs in the bottom of the frame to score Dean Moss. LaLima also had the game-winning hit in last year’s huge comeback win over Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.).
Game to Watch: IMG Academy vs. Barbe. The 2023 national champions meet the 2021 national champions in the first round of the Perfect Game Showdown Red Bracket. The three-bracket tournament features six teams from the Top 25, including Lewisburg (Olive Branch, Miss.), Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.), North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.) and Catholic (Baton Rouge), along with IMG Academy and Barbe.
Player of the Week: Cade Brown of Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.) had a huge week as he pounded out 10 hits (10-for-13), including eight in a row, with a double, two home runs and seven RBI.
Streaks: Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.) won its first three games last week to run its streak to 54 in a row. Two previous exhibition wins over West Broward and West Boca Raton were incorrectly credited as regular season wins last week.
Top 25 baseball rankings
1. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 1
Scores: Def. Monarch, 10-1, def. Miami Springs, 8-0; def. Westminster Academy, 14-0.
Hitter of the week: Rylan Lujo went 2-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI in the win over Monarch.
Pitcher of the week: Gavin Gargiulo went six innings against Monarch and gave up one run on three hits with seven strikeouts.
Next: Wednesday vs. Taravella
2. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 3
Scores: Def. Braden River, 3-2; def. Lakewood Ranch, 17-6
Hitter of the week: Sean Gamble went 1-for-3 with four RBI and a home run against Lakewood Ranch.
Pitcher of the week: Noah Franco went five innings and gave up no runs on one hit with 11 strikeouts in a no-decision against Braden River.
Next: Thursday vs. Barbe (Lake Charles)
3. Corona (Calif.)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 5
Scores: Did not play
Next: March 6 vs. Orange Lutheran
4. Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.)
Record: 5-0 | Last week: 7
Scores: Def. Lassiter, 19-11; def. Oxford (Ala.), 8-3; def. Hoover (Ala.), 9-0
Hitter of the week: Cade Brown went 4-for-4 with three runs, four RBI and a home run in the win over Oxford. He also went 3-for-3 with four runs, two RBI with a home run and a double against Lassiter.
Pitcher of the week: Porter Berryman got the win over Lassiter and he also threw three shutout innings against Hoover with four strikeouts.
Next: Thursday vs. St. Paul’s Episcopal (Mobile)
5. Lewisburg (Olive Branch, Miss.)
Record: 5-0 | Last week: 8
Scores: Def. Kirk Academy, 5-1; def. Germantown, 3-1; def. Thompson, 4-1
Hitter of the week: Samuel Richardson went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run against Germantown.
Pitcher of the week: Matthew Osteen went four innings against Germantown, giving up no runs on one hit with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Next: Thursday vs. Athens (Ala.)
6. Catholic-B.R. (Baton Rouge, La.)
Record: 4-0 | Last week: NR
Scores: Def. West Monroe, 3-2, 11-8, 6-2; def. St. Paul’s, 6-5
Hitter of the week: Andrew Clapinski had four hits in three games, driving in five runs with a double and a home run.
Pitcher of the week: Trip Dobson went four innings against St. Paul’s and gave up no runs on four hits with seven strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. St. Michael (Baton Rouge)
7. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Record: 5-0 | Last week: 11
Scores: Def. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 3-0; def. Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), 6-0
Hitter of the week: Derek Curiel went 2-for-2 with two runs, two RBI and a double against Corona del Sol.
Pitcher of the week: Sophomore Gary Morse went five innings against Notre Dame and gave up no runs on two hits with six strikeouts in a no-decision.
Next: Tuesday vs. Cypress
8. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 12
Next: Opens season Thursday vs. Basic (Henderson)
9. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Record: 4-1 | Last week: 13
Scores: Def. JSerra Catholic, 5-0; def. Marcus, 4-2
Hitter of the week: Ira Rootman went 2-for-2 against Marcus.
Pitcher of the week: Jake Chung threw two hitless innings with four strikeouts against Marcus.
Next: Tuesday vs. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth)
10. Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 14
Scores: Def. Baylor, 8-3
Hitter of the week: Brennon Seigler went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBI.
Pitcher of the week: MIchael Delph struck out four in two innings with no runs and no hits.
Next: March 4 vs. Knoxville Catholic
11. Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 15
Scores: Def. Tolleson, 10-1
Hitter of the week: Jaylen Payne went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored and two RBI in the opener.
Pitcher of the week: J.B. Feery went two and two-thirds innings and gave up no runs on no hits with three strikeouts.
Next: Wednesday vs. Desert Ridge
12. Huntington Beach (Calif.)
Record: 4-1 | Last week: 16
Scores: Def. Marcus, 3-2
Hitter of the week: C.J. Weinstein had a home run and two RBI in the win.
Pitcher of the week: Nate Aceves went the first three innings to beat Marcus. He gave up one run on two hits with three strikeouts.
Next: Thursday vs. Orange Lutheran
13. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Record: 4-2 | Last week: 10
Scores: Lost to Harvard-Westlake, 5-0; def. Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), 1-0; def. Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas), 6-5
Hitter of the week: In addition to throwing an inning with two strikeouts in the win over Marcus, Gavin Flores had a double.
Pitcher of the week: Corwin Allard struck out eight in the win over Corona del Sol.
Next: March 5 vs. Cypress
14. Basic (Henderson, Nev.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 18
Next: Opens season Thursday vs. No. 8 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
15. Argyle (Texas)
Record: 4-0-1 | Last week: 22
Scores: Def. Longview, 8-0; tied Carthage, 4-4; def. Boswell, 3-1; def. Spring Hill, 7-5; def. Hallsville, 8-4
Hitter of the week: Grady Emerson had a home run in the win over Hallsville and went 3-for-3 with a double against Spring Hill.
Pitcher of the week: Alex D’Angelo went four innings and gave up no runs on one hit with seven strikeouts against Longview.
Next: Thursday vs. The Woodlands
16. Prosper (Texas)
Record: 6-0 | Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Highland Park, 12-2; def. Walnut Grove, 9-1; def. Permian, 9-4; def. Liberty (Frisco), 12-0; def. Wakeland, 4-0; def. Sachse, 4-3
Hitter of the week: Brady Taylor had two home runs during the tournament.
Pitcher of the week: Coltn Kleypas went four innings and gave up no runs on one hit with eight strikeouts against Liberty.
Next: Thursday vs. Conway
17. Kingwood (Texas)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Klein Collins, 13-2, Pearce, 8-0; def. Tomball Memorial, 3-2; def. Lake Creek, 9-5; def. Conroe, 3-2; def. Montgomery, 12-9; def. Oak Ridge, 14-10
Hitter of the week: Joshua Arquette had 12 RBI, four doubles and two home runs during the week.
Pitcher of the week: Nick Costarella tossed a shutout against Pearce, giving up just three hits while striking out six.
Next: Tuesday vs. Angleton
18. West Monroe (La.)
Record: 1-3 | Last week: 2
Scores: Def. Airline, 8-1; lost to Catholic (Baton Rouge), 3-2, 11-8, 6-2
Next: Tuesday vs. Northwood
19. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 21
Next: Opens season March 13 vs. Springboro
20. Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: NR
Scores: Def. American Heritage (Delray Beach), 8-5; def. Miami Christian, 11-6; def. North Broward Prep, 5-2
Hitter of the week: Greg Caban went 4-for-4 in the win over North Broward Prep.
Pitcher of the week: Freshman Nick Miller struck out four batters in two and two-thirds innings in the win over North Broward Prep.
Next: Thursday vs. NSU University (Fort Lauderdale)
21. Flower Mound (Texas)
Record: 3-2 | Last week: 9
Scores: Def. Barbe (Lake Charles), 8-3; def. Opelousas (La.), 6-4; lost to Sulphur (La.), 11-1; lost to Live Oak (La.), 7-2; def. Gulfport (Miss.), 5-2
Hitter of the week: Andrew Robinson went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI in the win over Barbe.
Pitcher of the week: Roman Stevens gave up one run on five hits with six strikeouts against Gulfport.
Next: Tuesday vs. Arlington
22. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 4-2 | Last week: 17
Scores: Def. South Beauregard, 14-3; def. Elizabeth, 16-0; def. Live Oak, 2-1; lost to Flower Mound, 8-3; lost to Concordia Lutheran, 2-1; def. Opelousas Catholic, 5-1
Hitter of the week: Kasen Bellard went 3-for-3 with a triple, two home runs and five RBI against Elizabeth.
Pitcher of the week: Lawton Little had 10 strikeouts in a win over South Beauregard. He also struck out 10 against Opelousas Catholic.
Next: Tuesday vs. Holy Savior Menard
23. Jackson Prep (Jackson, Miss.)
Record: 9-1 | Last week: 25
Scores: Def. Tri-County Academy, 8-1; def. Kirk Academy, 12-0; lost to Tupelo, 5-4; def. Pisgah, 14-10
Hitter of the week: Tre’ Bryant was 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored and four RBI against Pisgah.
Pitcher of the week: Bodie Akins went three innings against Tri-County and did not give up a run or a hit while striking out five.
Next: Tuesday vs. Warren Central (Vicksburg)
24. Buford (Ga.)
Record: 3-1 | Last week: 20
Scores: Def. South Forsyth, 14-3; lost to McIntosh, 8-2; def. McIntosh, 7-4.
Hitter of the week: Madden Young had a double and three RBI in the win over McIntosh.
Pitcher of the week: Luke Hopper struck out all three batters he faced in his one inning on the mound against South Forsyth.
Next: Friday-Saturday at LaGrange tournament
25. North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.)
Record: 2-1 | Last week: 23
Scores: Def. Schoolhouse Prep, 6-1; def. American Heritage (Delray Beach), 11-0; lost to Archbishop McCarthy, 5-2
Hitter of the week: Kiernan O’Neill went 6-for-11 with two doubles and a triple in three games last week.
Pitcher of the week: Mateo Gray went five innings for the win over American Heritage, giving up no runs on four hits with nine strikeouts and one walk.
Next: Thursday vs. American Christian Academy (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
