1. Jesuit (9-2)
Tigers junior RHP Wilson Andersen
Last Week: Win, 2-0 at Naples Newman; Win, 1-0 v Tampa Catholic; Loss, 5-2 v St. Thomas Aquinas
Ryan Thompson struck out 11 in 4.2ip as the Tigers took down Top 5 state ranked Newman to start the week, then Wilson Andersen delivered a complete-game shutout against Tampa Catholic – which moves Jesuit back into the No. 1 spot. But the Tigers fell just short on wrapping up a three-win week giving up a four-run inning to visiting St. Thomas Aquinast and dropping a 5-2 decision despite a 3-for-4 game from Christian Sheffield (double, run).
This Week: vs Charlottesville, Va. Miller School of Albemarle (Mon); vs Gaither (Wed); vs Ft. Pierce John Carroll (Fri)
2. Tampa Catholic (11-1)
Crusaders senior Dominic Woodward
Last Week: Win, 7-3 v SLAM; Win, 6-1 v Shorecrest Prep; Loss, 1-0 at Jesuit
Tampa Catholic won 11-straight, but couldn’t get on the board at Jesuit on Friday. The Crusaders face district foes Tampa Prep and Bishop McLaughlin, before hosting Gold Division games in the Saladino Tournament. Chris Smith and Daniel Smythe drove in two apiece against SLAM; Drew Dunlop had 10 strikeouts and Lucas Cinnante doubled twice and drove in a pair against Shorecrest; and Dominic Woodward (who homered against Shorecrest) didn’t allow an earned run and struck out nine against Jesuit.
This Week: at Tampa Prep (Tues); vs Bishop McLaughlin (Wed); vs Sickles [Saladino Gold] (Sat)
3. Bloomingdale (8-1)
Last Week: Win, 10-1 at Lennard; Win, 11-1 v Brandon
The Bulls won comfortably in a pair of games and have stretched its win streak to eight games, remaining in our three-hole for the third-straight week. Vaughn Osting pitched a complete game in the win against the Longhorns and was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI; and Payton Jennings (homer) and John Ferger (double) both had two hits, three RBI and scored twice in Bloomingdale’s win against Brandon.
This Week: at Plant City (Tues); vs Robinson (Thurs); vs Gaither [Saladino Gold] (at Jefferson on Sat)
4. Strawberry Crest (7-2)
Chargers 2B Saxon Shah
Last Week: Win, 10-0 v Hillsborough; Win, 13-0 at Chamberlain; Win, 14-0 at Riverview
The Chargers make a big jump, moving up from the No. 10 spot a week ago. After starting the season 1-2, Crest has now won six-straight, including four-straight shutouts, and in three games last week scored 37 runs. With 16 doubles as a team last week (Saxon Shah with three of them; Matt Hall with two) and a home run from Dillon Knight, the Chargers might be the most complete team going at the moment. A visit from King, and a big pre-Saladino showdown with Plant are on deck.
This Week: vs King (Mon); at Plant (Thurs); vs Sumner [Saladino Gold] (at Lennard on Sat)
5. Plant (8-2)
Plant C Jordan Olivia
Last Week: Loss, 4-3 at Jefferson; Win, 10-0 v Alonso; Win, 13-0 at Chamberlain
The Panthers fell to Jefferson on a grand slam, but rebounded with double-digit victories over Alonso and Chamberlain last week. A Jordan Olivia (4-for-8 on the week, 2B, 5 RBI) three-run homer and an RBI walk, supported five shutout innings from Bo Allen against the Ravens; and Cash Strayer homered and tripled against the Storm. Dany Cerelli (.571 avg, who was our 813Preps Week 3 Top Performer) has a nine-game hit streak going, and has at least one RBI in all 10 Panthers games this season.
This Week: vs Armwood (Mon); vs Strawberry Crest (Thurs); vs King [Saladino Gold] (at Durant on Sat)
6. Newsome (8-2)
Last Week: Loss, 2-0 at Plant City; Win, 6-0 v Riverview
The Wolves offense couldn’t find anything at Plant City last week, being held by Hagan Smith to just one Ocean Cozart single and striking out 10 times. But the Wolves salvaged the week and fall just one spot this week, with a shutout win against the Sharks. In that win, senior Cameron Wood held Riverview to just two hits in four scoreless innings, with Aiden Dolan (2ip, 0 H) and Roman Bovelsky (1ip, 2H) wrapping up the shutout, with an Alex Chin (2-for-4, RBI) single, stolen base and run scored on an Anthony DeVito single in the first inning providing the needed run to win.
This Week: at Sumner (Tues); vs Leto (Thurs); at Durant [Saladino Gold] (Sat)
7. Wharton (8-2)
Wharton 1B Alex Johnstone
Last Week: Win, 18-2 at Middleton; Loss, 9-5 at Steinbrenner
The Wildcats got hits from nine different batters in a romp against Middleton, highlighted by Antonio Fawcett’s second home run of the year, and a double and three RBI from Alex Johnstone. However, the bright spot of the night was the return to action for junior pitcher Brody Turer who worked five outs of hitless relief, striking out one in his first game back after his diagnosis and treatment for leukemia. Steinbrenner’s offense came alive with three home runs to spoil a five-game Wharton win streak, and sees the Wildcats drop a spot in our rankings.
This Week: at Armwood (Tues); vs Plant City (Thurs); vs Chamberlain [Saladino Silver] (at Plant City on Sat)
8. Berkeley Prep (8-3)
Last Week: Win, 6-1 v Tampa Prep; Loss, 2-1 (8) at Bishop McLaughlin; Win, 2-1 (8) at Clearwater Central Catholic
The Buccaneers pitching staff has been tremendous this season, and that continued last week as Berkeley’s staff struck out 37 in three games. Parker Mitzell’s 12-K, one (unearned) run performance led to a win over Tampa Prep to start the week, before the Bucs experienced the lows and highs of extra-inning thrillers – dropping a decision to Bishop McLaughlin and winning over CCC – both in 2-1, eight-inning games. Rivers Kurland took a no-decision against the Hurricanes, despite striking out 14 across seven innings, and Ben O’Brien earned his third win against the Marauders with eight K’s in 7 1/3 innings.
This Week: at Brooks DeBartolo (Tues); vs Wesley Chapel (Fri); at Ocala Trinity Catholic (Sat)
9. Sickles (7-3)
Last Week: Win, 11-0 at Leto; Win, 5-4 (8) at Steinbrenner; Win, 11-4 at Hillsborough
A three-win week, including an extra-inning win at Steinbrenner courtesy of a Ben Durda RBI single in the eighth, jumps the Gryphons up five spots this week. The week started with a five-inning no-hitter for senior Brandon Gonzales against the Falcons, where the righty struck out seven and walked one; and Gonzales was 3-for-4 with a homer, double, three runs and two RBI in the win over the Terriers to close the week.
This Week: at Jefferson (Tues); vs Steinbrenner (Thurs); at Tampa Catholic [Saladino Gold] (Sat)
10. Alonso (7-3)
Alonso 3B Alvin Santiago
Last Week: Win, 5-4 v Gaither; Loss, 10-0 at Plant; Win, 10-0 v Sumner
Jordan Campos (2-for-4) hit a walk-off for the Ravens in a tough win against Gaither, and Alonso capped the week with a lopsided win against Sumner thanks to a 4-for-4, five-RBI game from Alvin Santiago. In-between the Ravens took one on the chin at Plant, but with a lot of attrition around the county last week, actually move up a spot on our list. A challenge from a tough Robinson team starts Week 5 for the Ravens.
This Week: vs Robinson (Tues); vs Durant (Thurs); at Lennard [Saladino Gold] (Sat)
On the Bubble
11. Robinson (6-3)
12. Durant (5-3)
13. Jefferson (6-3)
14. Gaither (7-4)
15. Carrollwood Day (6-4)
