Video: Top 25 baseball rankings
Former No. 1 De La Salle falls prior to stoppage.
There are only small changes to the MaxPreps Top 25 national high school baseball rankings this week, but they were nothing compared to the types of changes facing high school baseball teams all across the country because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
School districts across the country, from California to Florida, have taken the precaution of closing down or restricting school activities until the end of the month or through the first week of April. The closures and suspension of activities also mean that no baseball will be played for at least two weeks for the majority of teams in the Top 25.
How the coronavirus outbreak will affect the remainder of the season in most states, including the postseason, has yet to be determined. Many states in the Midwest and Northeast do not even begin their seasons until mid-March or early April.
The new team at the No. 1 spot in the Top 25 is Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), which did not get in its games at the Boras Classic Arizona due to weather, but did play one game against Copper Hills (Utah) to stay unbeaten at 8-0. Hamilton replaces De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), which lost its first game of the season to Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.) after ascending to the top spot last week.
All of the top 10 teams are undefeated with six of them from Florida.
Dropped Out: No. 12 Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.); No. 25 The Woodlands (Texas).
Game of the Week: DeSoto Central 8, Houston 7. The Jaguars rallied for six runs in the top of the sixth inning to overcome a 6-2 deficit and held on for the win. Blaze Jordan, Kyle Booker and Jackson Siler all doubled in the inning to account for five of the runs.
Player of the Week: Gio Ferraro, American Heritage. Batting .586 (17 for 29), Ferraro had two doubles and two home runs during the week. He has seven doubles and four home runs on the season.
Recruit Watch: Nate Wohlgemuth, Owasso. In keeping the Rams undefeated, Wohlgemuth had three doubles, a triple and a home run last week.
Game to Watch: With nearly every team in the Top 25 postponing its season for at least the next two weeks, the "Game to Watch" will be any game played once the postponements ends.
Tournaments on Tap: With the coronavirus shutting down many large-scale sporting events, the tournament season has essentially come to an end. The National High School Invitational — arguably the most prestigious tournament in the nation — has been cancelled. The Boras Classic Arizona was cut short due to weather while the Boras Classic California has been canceled outright due to the coronavirus.
Streaks: Blanchard (Okla.) opened its season with a 6-5 loss to Sulphur, thus ending its win streak at 39 games in a row. The longest win streak in the nation now belongs to Webster (Wisc.), which has won 37 in a row dating back to May 22, 2018. Webster does not begin its season until April 2.
Note: Games scheduled to be played were as of Monday, March 16, and may change due to the rapidly developing coronavirus situation.
MaxPreps Top 25 national high school baseball rankings
Isaiah Adams, Hamilton
Photo by Jack Beasley
Results: Def. Copper Hills (West Jordan, Utah), 5-2. Did not play the rest of Boras Classic postponed due to weather.
Stats: Isaiah Adams had a double in the win.
Next: Queen Creek, March 17.
2. (3) Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.), 9-0
Results: Def. Hillsborough, 5-0; Def. Countryside, 12-0.
Stats: Joe Casale and
Jonathan Shoop each hit home runs against Hillsborough.
Josh Mallitz got the win, striking out nine.
Bennett Lee was 3-for-4 with a double in the win over Countryside while three pitchers combined for a no-hitter..
Next: Saladino Tournament canceled.
3. (4) Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), 8-0
Results: Def. Mater Dei 2-0, 6-5.
Stats: Max Rajcic threw a two-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts and no walks in the 2-0 win. He also had a home run in the 6-5 win.
Next: The Trinity League has suspended play for two weeks.
4. (5) American Heritage (Delray Beach, Fla.), 11-0
Results: Def. St. John Paul II Academy 1-0, Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale), 2-0.
Stats: Carsten Finnvold struck out nine in five innings against St. John Paul II.
Nelson Berkwich struck out 12 in six innings against Calvary Christian Academy.
Next: West Boca Raton, March 17; North Broward Prep, March 19.
5. (6) American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 10-0
Results: Def. Belen Jesuit, 13-3; Archbishop McCarthy, 9-3; Doral Academy, 6-2.
Stats: Gio Ferraro had two doubles, a home run and two RBI while
Gavin Casas had a double, a home run and three RBI.
Enrique Bradfield was 3-for-3 with a double against Archbishop McCarthy.
Juhlien Gonzalez and Ferraro each hit home runs against Doral Academy.
Next: Games canceled through March 30.
6. (7) Mitchell (New Port Richey, Fla.), 7-0
Results: Def. Fivay, 5-1
Stats: Jackson Miller was 2-for-4 with a double,
Aidan Miller was 2-for-4 with a triple and
Mason Miller had a home run against Fivay.
Next: Mitchell is closed for the next two weeks.
7. (8) Spruce Creek (Port Orange, Fla.), 9-0
Results: Def. New Smyrna Beach, 8-3.
Stats: Preston Wetherell went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI and got the pitching win with seven strikeouts.
Next: Spruce Creek is closed until March 30.
8. (9) Ayala (Chino Hills, Calif.), 8-0
Results: Did not play. Games suspended.
Next: Ayala will be closed until April 6.
9. (10) Park Vista (Lake Worth, Fla.), 11-0
Results: Def. Spanish River, 10-0; Seminole Ridge, 6-4; Dwyer, 3-2.
Stats: Dylan Michaud was 2-for-3 with a double against Spanish River.
Adrian Ojea had a double against Seminole Ridge.
Cameron Clines struck out nine against Dwyer.
Next: Games canceled until April.
10. (13) Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 1-0
Results: Def. Grace Christian Academy, 5-2.
Stats: Vito Valincius and
Christian Martin each had two hits with a double and two RBI.
Next: Baylor has closed temporarily.
11. (14) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), 6-1
Results: Def. Chaminade 13-0, 4-1.
Stats: Lucas Gordon threw a two-hitter with 11 strikeout and
Ben Griffin had a grand slam in the 13-0 win. Gordon also went 3-for-3 in the second game. The third game was cancelled due to rain.
Next: Mission League play has been temporarily suspended.
12. (15) JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.), 11-1
Results: Def. Santa Margarita 7-3, 4-3.
Stats: Gabe D'Arcy was 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in the first game.
Jared Glenn went 3-for-3 with a double and a triple.
Next: The Trinity League has suspended play for two weeks.
13. (1) De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 3-1
Results: Def. Saint Francis (Mountain View), 5-1; lost to Jesuit (Carmichael), 4-1.
Stats: Kyle Harrison struck out 11 to get the win over Saint Francis.
Next: De La Salle will be closed for two weeks.
14. (16) La Mirada (Calif.), 6-2
Results: Did not play. Games canceled.
Next: Bellflower, March 24, 27.
15. (17) DeSoto Central (Southaven, Miss.), 12-1
Results: Def. Houston, 8-7; Marion, 10-0.
Stats: Blaze Jordan went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple and two RBI against Houston. He also went 2-for-4 with a double against Marion.
Next: Lewisburg, March 17, 20, 21.
16. (18) Mill Creek (Hoschton, Ga.), 14-1
Results: Def. Brookwood, 2-1; Loganville, 18-5; Dacula, 13-0.
Stats: Landon Depratter had a home run against Loganville.
Keaton Anthony went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI and also picked up the win with five strikeouts.
Next: All Gwinnett County school events are canceled until further notice.
17. (20) Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.), 12-2
Results: Def. Meadowcreek 18-0, 11-0; Grayson 4-1.
Stats: Jack Davis had two home runs, three runs and four RBI in the 18-0 win that was called after one inning of play.
Pas Ferraras and
Jabari Daniely each hit a home run in the second game. Ferraras,
Jon Ponder and
Sam Smith each homered against Grayson.
Next: Norcross, March 16/18; Mountain View, March 20.
18. (21) Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.), 8-0
Results: Def. Copper Hills, 4-3.
Stats: Ben Click had a home run and three RBI in the win.
Next: Tempe Union High School district has closed temporarily.
19. (22) Niceville (Fla.), 10-0
Results: Def. Bay, 12-0; Crestview, 4-1; Choctawhatchee, 16-4.
Stats: Jay Marquardt had a home run and two RBI against Bay.
Bryce Carley had a home run against Crestview.
Corey Church went 2-for-2 with a double and three RBI.
Next: Okaloosa County School District is closed until March 30.
20. (23) Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.), 11-0
Results: Def. Tampa Prep, 3-2; Brooks Debartolo Collegiate, 14-2; Norfolk Christian, 15-5.
Stats: Cade Kurland went 3-for-4 against Tampa Prep.
Roman Samson was 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI while
Alex Haire had a double, a home run and two RBI against Brooks. Kurland also had a double and three RBI against Norfolk.
Next: Providence, March 19.
21. (NR) Owasso (Okla.), 9-0
Results: Def. Sapulpa, 11-1 and 17-0; Chickasha 12-0, Collinsville, 7-2, Life Prep 10-2.
Stats: Nate Wohlgemuth had a triple and home run and
Nathan Ackenhausen and
Buddy Green each had a double and a home run against Sapulpa. Ackenhausen had three hits, a double and seven RBI in the 17-0 win. Wohlgemuth had three doubles and Ackenhausen had a home run against Collinsville.
Next: Osceola, March 18; Santa Fe Catholic, March 19; Bartow, March 20.
22. (19) Mountain Brook (Birmingham, Ala.), 16-2
Results: Def. Pelham, 14-0; Lost to Long Beach 3-2; Def. D'Iberville, 7-3; West Harrison, 6-4; George County, 10-2.
Stats: Alex Gauld went 3-for-4 with four RBI against Pelham; Brock Payne went 3-for-4 against D'Iberville; Harrison Ware went 3-for-4 with a double, triple and two RBI against George County.
Next: Hoover, March 17; Homewood, March 18; Gadsden City, March 19.
23. (24) Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial (Corpus Christi, Texas), 15-0-1
Results: Def. Moody, 16-6; Clemens, 7-1; Harlingen, 6-0; tied Reagan, 0-0.
Stats: Daylan Pena had three hits against Reagan. Pena had two home runs and four RBI against Moody while
Xavier Perry and
MJ Rodriguez also had home runs.
Kobe Andrade was 3-for-4 against Clemens.
Next: Victoria East, March 17; Calhoun, March 20.
24. (11) Westlake (Austin, Texas), 13-1-1
Results: Def. Lehman, 3-1; Lost to Allen, 6-3; tied Braswell, 3-3.
Stats: Jake Harwood was 2-for-4 against Lehman. He also had a triple against Braswell.
Next: Westlake has canceled all games through March 30.
25. (NR) Ridge Point (Missouri City, Texas), 12-1
Results: Def. Alvin 1-0, Texas City, 4-1.
Next: Fort Bend ISD has suspended school activities for two weeks.
