In the championship game of the Perfect Game Showdown,
Bob Jones (Madison, Ala.) did something no team has done in nearly two years – defeat
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.).
Bob Jones put together a pair of four-run rallies in the third and fourth innings in its matchup with IMG Academy to pull off an 11-6 victory. The win ended a streak of 36 straight victories for the Ascenders, which last lost to
Miami Christian (Miami, Fla.) on April 15, 2022.
IMG Academy went 25-0 last year while finishing as the MaxPreps National Champions.
The win gave Bob Jones the championship of the Red Bracket at the Perfect Game Showdown, which featured three 16-team brackets. No. 3
Catholic-B.R. (Baton Rouge, La.) defeated No. 4
Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.) for the championship of the Blue Bracket while No. 9
North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.) defeated No. 10
Lewisburg (Olive Branch, Miss.) for the championship of the White Bracket.
Dropped out: No. 11
Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), No. 17
Kingwood (Kingwood, Texas), No. 20
Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), No. 24
Buford (Ga.)Newcomers: No. 7
Bob Jones (Madison, Ala.), No. 16
Dallas Jesuit (Dallas, Texas), No. 21
Friendswood (Texas), No. 24
Servite (Anaheim, Calif.)Game of the Week:
Bob Jones def.
Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee, Ga.), 10-0. This might not seem like a "game
of the week" candidate, but the score is deceiving. Bob Jones pitcher
Braden Booth threw a no-hitter with nine strikeouts and three walks.
However Peachtree Ridge's three pitchers combined for a no-hitter with
seven strikeouts. The key for Bob Jones was the 11 walks and two errors
by Peachtree Ridge. Bob Jones scored all 10 of its runs in the bottom of
the third with two outs. After a walk, a pick-off and a strikeout to the
first two batters got two outs, Bob Jones sent 14 players to the plate
and got, in order, a walk, a dropped third strike, walk, walk, walk,
walk, walk, error, walk, walk, hit batsman, error, walk and finally a strikeout.
Game to Watch:
No. 1
Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.) faces its biggest test of the season thus far
when it takes on
Jesuit (Tampa) on Thursday. Although just 2-2 so far
this season, Jesuit was the state runner-up in Class 5A last year to
American Heritage (Plantation).
Player of the Week:
William Schmidt of Catholic (Baton Rouge) had 12 strikeouts in five
innings for the win against
Helena (Ala.) at the Perfect Game Showdown. He also
went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in a win over
Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.).
Streaks: Stoneman Douglas moved two games closer to breaking the Florida state record for
consecutive wins. With a 5-0 record on the season, Stoneman Douglas has
56 straight victories.
Calvary Christian (Clearwater) holds the Florida record with 60 in a row.

Gian De Castro slides into home to help give North Broward Prep of Florida a key win over Lewisburg of Mississippi last week. (Photo: Duane Bierman)
MaxPreps Top 25 baseball rankings
Record: 5-0 |
Last week: 1
Scores: Def. Taravella, 2-0; def. West Broward, 12-0
Hitter of the week: Niko Benestad went 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBI and two home runs against West Broward.
Pitcher of the week: Gio Rojas dominated Taravella, allowing no runs on one hit with 18 strikeouts and no walks.
Next: Thursday vs. Jesuit, Friday vs. Miller School of Albemarle (Va.)
2. Corona (Calif.)
Record: 3-0 |
Last week: 3
Scores: Did not play
Next: Wednesday vs. Orange Lutheran
3. Catholic-B.R. (Baton Rouge, La.)
Record: 9-0 |
Last week: 6
Scores:
Def. St. Michael (Baton Rouge), 11-2; def. Helena, 4-1, def.
Madison-Ridgeland Academy, 4-3; def. Montverde Academy, 11-2; def.
Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.), 3-1
Hitter of the week: Normally the team's top pitcher,
William Schmidt went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI against Montverde.
Pitcher of the week: Mills Richardson went 5.1 innings against Parkview and gave up one run on two hits with four strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. St. Charles Catholic (LaPlace, La.)
4. Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.)
Record: 8-1 |
Last week: 4
Scores:
Def. St. Paul's Episcopal (Mobile, Ala.), 3-1; def. DeSoto Central
(Southaven, Miss.), 11-1; def. Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.), 8-5; lost to
Catholic (Baton Rouge), 3-1
Hitter of the week: Kason Gleaton went 2-for-2 with a triple and three RBI against DeSoto Central.
Pitcher of the week: Thorpe Musci got the win over DeSoto Central by going five innings with one run, two hits and seven strikeouts.
Next: Thursday vs. Buford
5. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Record: 7-0 |
Last week: 7
Scores: Def. Cypress, 2-1; def. Huntington Beach, 6-3
Hitter of the week: Brady Murrietta went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBI in the win over Huntington Beach.
Pitcher of the week: Gary Morse struck out eight batters against Cypress, giving up one run on four hits over 4.2 innings.
Next: Wednesday vs. Corona
6. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Record: 1-0 |
Last week: 8
Scores: Def. Basic (Henderson), 6-3
Hitter of the week: Burke Mabeus went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
Pitcher of the week: James Whitaker struck out six and gave up one unearned run on two hits.
Next: Tuesday vs. Las Vegas
7. Bob Jones (Madison, Ala.)
Record: 9-2 |
Last week: NR
Scores:
Def. Peachtree Ridge (Suwanee, Ga.), 10-0; def. Cartersville (Ga.),
4-3; def. Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.), 8-5; def. IMG
Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 11-6
Hitter of the week: Jacob Pearl went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI against IMG Academy.
Pitcher of the week: Braden Booth
had a five-inning no-hitter with nine strikeouts and three walks
against Peachtree Ridge. He was also the Most Valuable Pitcher at the
Perfect Game Showdown.
Next: Tuesday vs. Huntsville (Ala.)
8. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 5-1 |
Last week: 2
Scores:
Def. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.), 12-4; def. Pickens (Jasper, Ga.), 15-0;
def. Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.), 5-3; lost to Bob Jones (Madison,
Ala.), 11-6
Hitter of the week: Andre Modugno went 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI and a home run against Barbe.
Pitcher of the week: Oki Hosakawa went 3.2 innings against Barbe, giving up no runs on one hit with six strikeouts.
Next: Friday vs. Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale)
9. North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek, Fla.)
Record: 6-1 |
Last week: 25
Scores:
Def. American Christian Academy (Tuscaloosa, Ala.), 3-2; def. Spain
Park, 4-0; def. Cherokee Bluff, 6-2; def. Lewisburg (Miss.), 7-1
Hitter of the week: Andrew Cutler went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and an RBI against Spain Park.
Pitcher of the week: Nate Hernandez, a sophomore, went four innings for the win against Lewisburg, giving up no runs on two hits with three strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)
10. Lewisburg (Olive Branch, Miss.)
Record: 8-1 |
Last week: 5
Scores: Def. Athens, 7-4; def. Hoover, 7-3; def. Houston County, 6-0; lost to North Broward Prep, 7-1
Hitter of the week: Kody Gilmore went 5-for-14 over four games last week with four RBI.
Pitcher of the week: Talon Haley went four innings against Hoover, giving up one run on one hit with seven strikeouts.
Next: Thursday vs. Grenada
11. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
Record: 5-1-1 |
Last week: 9
Scores: Def. Sierra Canyon, 2-1; tied Sierra Canyon, 4-4
Pitcher/Hitter of the week: Duncan Marsten gave up no runs on no hits with 10 strikeouts in the win. He also had a two-run hit for the winning runs.
Next: Tuesday vs. St. Francis (La Canada)
12. Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 10
Next: Tuesday vs. West, Wednesday vs. Maryville
13. West Monroe (La.)
Record: 5-3 |
Last week: 18
Scores:
Def. Northwood, 11-2; def. Bryant (Ark.), 9-2; def. John Curtis
Christian (River Ridge), 2-1; def. Hahnville, 9-2; def. Destrehan, 5-4
Hitter of the week: Hayden Federico went 1-for-1 with two runs, three walks, a home run and two RBI against Bryant.
Pitcher of the week: Drew Ferguson went five innings against John Curtis Christian, giving up one run on five hits with five strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. Ouachita Christian
14. Huntington Beach (Calif.)
Record: 5-2 |
Last week: 12
Scores: Lost to Orange Lutheran, 6-3; def. Fountain Valley, 9-3
Hitter of the week: Trent Grindlinger went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI against Fountain Valley.
Pitcher of the week: Nathan Aceves struck out five against Fountain Valley.
Next: Friday vs. Laguna Beach
15. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Record: 4-2 |
Last week: 13
Scores: Did not play
Next: Tuesday vs. Cypress
16. Dallas Jesuit (Dallas, Texas)
Record: 11-0 |
Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Anna, 5-4; def. Fossil Ridge, 10-0; def. Lebanon Trail, 7-0; def. Reedy, 4-2; def. Piedmont (Okla.), 8-2
Hitter of the week: Charlie Wilson has been the top hitter this year so far, batting .616 in eight reported games.
Pitcher of the week: Dillon Brandt has 20 strikeouts in 13 innings pitched.
Next: Thursday vs. Vandegrift
17. Prosper (Texas)Record: 11-1 |
Last week: 16
Scores:
Lost to St. Michael's (La.), 10-1; def. Conway (Ark.), 8-5; def. Mater
Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 5-4; def. Deer Creek (Okla.), 1-0; def. The
Woodlands, 8-7; def. Bixby (Okla.), 10-0
Hitter of the week: Ryan Billings went 2-for-3 with two doubles against Mater Dei.
Pitcher of the week: Aiden White tossed six shutout innings with four strikeouts against Deer Creek.
Next: Thursday vs. Georgetown
18. Flower Mound (Texas)
Record: 9-2 |
Last week: 21
Scores: Def. Keller, 6-2; def. Arlington, 4-1; def. Wylie, 10-4; def. Aledo, 6-4; def. Lone Star, 1-0; def. Byron Nelson, 8-2
Hitter of the week: Adrian Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI.
Pitcher of the week: Sid Dendukuri went four innings and gave up no runs on no hits with four strikeouts against Lone Star,
Next: Thursday vs. Ridge Point
19. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 19
Next: March 13 vs. Springboro
20. Jackson Prep (Jackson, Miss.)
Record: 14-1 |
Last week: 23
Scores:
Def. Warren Central, 6-1; def. Parklane Academy, 12-2; def. Kosciusko,
8-4; def. Heritage Academy, 7-0; def. Adams County Christian, 16-0
Hitter/Pitcher of the week: Konnor Griffin
went 2-for-2 with two runs, an RBI, a double and a triple against
Parklane Academy. Griffin also pitched six no-hit innings against
Heritage Academy with nine strikeouts.
Next: Thursday vs. Riverfield Academy
21. Friendswood (Texas)
Record: 11-1 |
Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Brenham, 15-2; def. Jordan (Katy), 5-3; def. Clear Creek, 4-3; def. Katy, 3-0; def. Clear Falls, 8-5; def. Clear Lake, 5-2
Hitter of the week: Kyle Lockhart went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI against Clear Falls.
Pitcher of the week: Blake Encarnacion went five innings against Katy and gave up no runs on two hits with eight strikeouts.
Next: Saturday vs. Fort Bend Elkins
22. Argyle (Texas)
Record: 6-1-2 |
Last week: 15
Scores: Lost to Houston Memorial, 5-0; tied The Woodlands, 4-4; def. Magnolia Heights, 10-7; def. Walnut Grove (Prosper), 13-0
Hitter of the week: Colton Roquemore
went 2-for-3 with a home run and five RBI against Walnut Grove. He also
went 2-for-2 with two RBI and a triple against Magnolia Heights.
Pitcher of the week: Hudson Emeterio gave up no runs on two hits with five strikeouts against Walnut Grove.
Next: Friday vs. Northwest (Justin, Texas)
23. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 8-3 |
Last week: 22
Scores: Def. Holy Savior Menard, 2-0; lost to IMG Academy, 12-4; def. Gulf Shores, 14-1; def. Russell County, 12-0; def. Dublin, 10-0
Hitter of the week: Kasen Bellard went 2-for-3 with a triple and four RBI against Gulf Shores.
Pitcher of the week: Lawton Littleton went four innings and gave up no runs on no hits with two strikeouts against Russell County.
Next: Tuesday vs. Westlake
24. Servite (Anaheim, Calif.)
Record: 5-0 |
Last week: NR
Scores: Did not play.
Next: Tuesday vs. South Hills
25. Basic (Henderson, Nev.)
Record: 0-1 |
Last week: 14
Scores: Lost to Bishop Gorman, 6-3
Hitter of the week: Andruw Giles went 2-for-2 in the loss.
Pitcher of the week: Alex Gelb gave up no runs on one hits over two innings with three strikeouts.
Next: Tuesday vs. Liberty (Henderson, Nev.)