The 8-1-3 List: Week 5
1. Plant (10-3) ☝️2
Plant senior Rocco DeMarinis
A no-hitter at Jesuit on Friday was certainly the most noteworthy event, but is not the only reason Plant has shot up our rankings and lands at No. 1 this week. Since a Saladino opening loss against Jefferson, Plant has won six-straight – including last week’s win against Strawberry Crest and payback victory against the Dragons (Rocco DeMarinis – CG, five-hit shutout). Bo Allen’s excellent relief outing was huge in the win against the Tigers, but in the three wins in Wk5, Panthers pitchers put up a combined 1.00 ERA, allowing just 10 hits in 21 innings, and had 20 strikeouts. Plant has a trip south down Dale Mabry to visit Robinson on Tuesday, and travels to Newsome on Thursday.
2. Jesuit (11-3) 👇1
Jesuit senior DJ Pirela
As Coach Menendez told 813Preps on Friday night, the post-loss “pity party” was brief as Jesuit got back in the win column with an 8-1 victory at Lake Wales on Saturday led by Cannon Murtagh (3-for-3, two RBI, run) and DJ Pirella (2-for-3, two doubles, two RBI, run). The Tigers bested Mitchell 22-2, as well last week. Jesuit tangles with reigning 2A champs Lakeland Christian on Tuesday, and Savannah, Ga.’s Benedictine on Wednesday in two home games.
3. Durant (10-2) ☝️1
The Cougars had to battle last week, going 11 innings against Bloomingdale on Monday and eight innings against Chamberlain on Wednesday to escape with one run wins and took care of East Bay, 7-0 to close out the three-win week. Noah Morales saw his eight-game hitting streak snap against the Storm going 0-for-2, but he was 7-for-10 in the week’s other two games with two doubles, a homer and five RBI. Senior Gehrig Graham struck out eight in six scoreless innings against East Bay. Lennard visits on Monday, and the Cougars travel to Gaither on Thursday.
4. Carrollwood Day (12-1) 👇2
The Patriots win-streak stopped at 11 as Tampa Catholic was able to fend off a CDS comeback on Wednesday. But we don’t drop Carrollwood Day too far, as the Patriots went right back to winning by defeating previously unbeaten Palm Harbor, 2-0. That win saw juniors Logan Mazur (4.1ip, 3 K’s) and Nick Riedel (2.2ip, 3 K’s) hold the Hurricanes to just two hits. The Patriots have a three-game run this week at Shorecrest Prep today, hosting Lakewood Tuesday, and welcoming Sunlake on Thursday.
5. Sickles (10-3)☝️1
Sickles coach Eric Luksis gets the birds-eye view of Plant City and Lennard during Saladino week.
The Gryphons kept busy on the bases this week, scoring 34 runs in win against Plant City, Blake and Lennard. Jaden Nazar went 5-for-9 during the stretch, with two doubles, seven RBI and six runs scored, and Carter LeBlanc made two appearances on the mound, striking out nine in seven scoreless innings and giving up just two hits. Leto visits Sickles on Tuesday, and the Gryphons face Dunedin on Wednesday at the Blue Jays Complex.
6. Newsome (10-3) ☝️1
A three-game week for the Wolves added three more to the win tally as Newsome shutout out Alonso, beat Sumner and defeated Leto. We saw Wade Walton strikeout nine and give up one run against the Stingrays last week, and JP Glassford held the Ravens off the board for five innings with eight punchouts. The Wolves travel to Brandon on Tuesday, and will host our newest No. 1, Plant, on Thursday.
7. Jefferson (11-3) 👇4
Jefferson junior Isiah Fernandez
The Dragons went 2-1 last week, defeating King and Middleton, sandwiched around a loss to Plant. Cameron Mallo went 6-for-9 on the week, with two doubles, two RBI and three runs scored, and Isiah Fernandez went 6-for-8, three runs and an RBI – and both pitched two scoreless innings during the week. The Dragons head to Steinbrenner on Tuesday (early 5 pm start), and Bloomingdale on Thursday.
8. Tampa Catholic (7-4) =
The Crusaders jumped out to a four-run lead against Steinbrenner last Tuesday, but had to battle the Warriors to extras before Daniel Smythe lined a single into right in the eighth and worked around the bases, rushing across the plate on a wild pitch to give TC the win. Tampa Catholic again took an early lead on Wednesday, and fended off Carrollwood Day 6-4 (click here to read about it). The Crusaders host district opponent Tampa Prep tonight, and due to last Saturday’s rainout, have a home-and-away with Sarasota Cardinal Mooney Wednesday and Thursday.
9. Armwood (8-3) =
There was no post-Saladino slump for the Hawks after winning the Silver Division title as Armwood won two games at home last week. First, the Hawks bested Hillsborough 10-3 as Theodoric Hicks went 2-fo-2, with a double, RBI and four runs scored; and second, holding off a Wharton comeback attempt, with seniors Alonzo Godwin (1.2ip, 3 K’s) and Matthew Hall (Sv, 1ip) finishing out the win in relief. A visit from Freedom tonight will be the Hawks only game this week.
10. Seffner Christian (9-2) ⭐
Seffner Christian senior Colin Patten
A 9-5 win against Brooks DeBartolo and a mercy-rule victory against Hernando Christian push the Crusaders back into our rankings this week. Seffner Christian senior Colin Patten hit his first varsity home run against HCA and finished the two games 6-for-8, with a double, five runs and four RBI, and Cyrus Shokrani went 4-for-8, with a double, six RBI and three runs scored. In the midst of a seven-game homestand, the Crusaders host Brooks DeBartolo again on Tuesday, Tampa Prep visits on Thursday, and Keswick Christian comes for an afternoon visit on Friday.
⭐: New to rankings this week; ☝️: Moved up; 👇: Moved down; = : Same as last week
Dropping out this week: East Bay (8-3).
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8 Top Performers
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1 Favorite Thing from last Week
Who doesn’t love a midseason Stat Leaderboard?
• Stats taken from the State of Florida listing on MaxPreps.com
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3 Games to Watch this week
Lakeland Christian (7-2) #2 Jesuit (11-3), Tuesday: A battle of perennial state powers is on deck at Jesuit tomorrow as the Tigers welcome the reigning 2A state champions Lakeland Christian. The Vikings are winners of three-straight after dropping two early-March games against Calvary Christian and Lakeland Jenkins.
#1 Plant (10-3) at #6 Newsome (10-3), Thursday: Plant has a big neighborhood rivalry against Robinson on Tuesday in a usually spirited and competitive game with the Panthers taking last year’s tilt, and Robinson won in 2022. BUT Plant’s visit to Newsome has our interest piqued. If the Panthers can get by the Knights and Wolves beat Brandon early in the week, both teams would be riding win streaks (Plant – 7; Newsome – 6) in this showdown on non-district 7A powers.
Tampa Prep (8-5) at #10 Seffner Christian (9-2), Thursday: After defeating Cambridge early, the Terrapins dropped a pair to close out last week, and have three challenging games this week. Tampa Prep has a huge hurdle in its second game against district foe Tampa Catholic (having lost 9-2 in February), but Thursday’s game at Seffner Christian could be a thriller. SCA has scored in bunches (103 runs) with baseball flying out of the Crusaders home field this season. This afternoon tilt should be a blast.
