Heights Meat Market presents:
1. Jesuit (6-1)
Jesuit junior Griffin Boesen
The Tigers got home runs from Griffin Boesen in both of its Week 3 wins. On Tuesday, Jesuit took down Northside Christian 6-2 with Samir Mohammed striking out 10 in five innings, and Ben Burke striking out 5-of-6 batters he faced in relief. On Saturday, the Tigers blanked Lake Wales 6-0, with Kaden Waechter striking out six and allowing one hit, before no-hit clean innings from Hector Rivera and Liam Amoriello. Jesuit has three games at home this week: Carrollwood Day (Tues), Fort Myers Bishop Verot (Fri) and Tampa Catholic (Sat).
2. Wharton (5-0)
Wharton senior SS Jeremiah Brown
The Wildcats made short work of King and Leto in 10-run-rule wins, before getting tested on Saturday by Riverview and remaining undefeated with a 4-2 victory. Senior Connor Evans had a hit and a run scored in each win, and struck out a pair to pick up the save at Riverview. Cooper Antalek struck out nine against the Sharks; Daniel Duno struck out 10 against Leto; senior Jeremiah Brown was 4-for-6 with two RBI last week; and four pitchers combined for 10 K’s against King. Wharton has three games in as many days next week, hosting Armwood (Tues), visiting Robinson (Wed) and hosting Strawberry Crest (Thurs).
3. Tampa Catholic (7-0)
The Crusaders cruised to a 10-0 win over Indian Rocks Christian on Thursday on five hits and six walks, then Talan Miranda went the distance against Cardinal Mooney, striking out six and allowing one run, while Blake Brown hit his second home run of the year and DJ Ford hit his first. TC goes on the road for three games this week, visiting Tampa Prep (Tues), Carrollwood Day (Wed) and a big one against Jesuit (Sat).
4. Jefferson (5-1)
Jefferson couldn’t find any success at the plate early last week, dropping a 5-0 decision to Steinbrenner, but the Dragons offense righted itself with a 10-0, mercy-rule at Durant on Saturday. Junior Ethan Savinon was 5-for-7 on the week, with two doubles and three RBI against the Cougars, who he also shutout for four innings on the mound. Kaleb Cherry hit a three-run home run in the win; and Manny Baez added a two-run single. Jefferson visits Plant (Tues), then hosts Robinson (Thurs) and Sumner (Sat) this week.
5. Strawberry Crest (7-1)
Chargers senior RHP Zalen Hicks
Chargers senior Zalen Hicks struck out nine at Armwood last Tuesday, over his five-shutout innings as Crest defeated the Hawks, 9-0. In that win, Reuben Vazquez had three hits – including an RBI single and two-run double, and was one of the few Chargers to find any success in a 7-1 loss to Alonso on Thursday. Bubba Blount and Toby Highsmith had two hits in the win at Armwood; and Jaxon Beattie had a hit in each game, and struck out two in a clean inning on the mound against the Hawks. Crest has a big week ahead, hosting 2025 5A state finalist Wesley Capel (Tues), visiting 6A state semifinalist Wharton (Thurs) and hosting last year’s 6A state champions Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (Sat).
6. Bloomingdale (6-1)
Though the Bulls were 2-0 last week, we are keeping them just behind Strawberry Crest due to the Chargers winning the teams’ Week 2 matchup. But, the Bulls handled both games in Week 3 easily – first defeating Riverview 11-1 behind five innings and eight strikeouts by Luke Long, and three hit games by Cesar Campos (two RBI) and JJ Santiago (run); then taking down Chamberlain, 9-1, with Eli Thomas striking out nine across five scoreless. Vaughn Osting went 3-for-6 with a homer and four RBI on the week. Bloomingdale visits Morgan (Tues) and Newsome (Thurs), then host Gaither (Sat).
7. Gaither (6-1)
Cowboys SS Ryan Deak
Cowboys senior Mathew Altman bookended the week with wins on the mound, striking out 16 while pitching a combined 11 1/3 innings in Gaither wins over Robinson (a combined, five-inning no-hitter with Dylan Schale last Tuesday) and Plant City (on Saturday). In between, Gaither dropped tough 4-3 decision to Steinbrenner. On the week, Jose Gutierrez homered, doubled and drove in five runs; and Ryan Deak was 4-for-7 with two doubles and scored four runs. This week: Gaither visits Wiregrass Ranch (Tues), hosts Leto (Thurs) and heads to Bloomingdale (Sat).
8. Freedom (7-1)
Freedom junior Devon Acord
David Simpkins started off the Patriots’ three-win week with a 13-strikeout no-hitter against Brandon; Keven Made went 6-for-8 at the plate last week with four runs and three RBI; Devon Acord went 5-for-11 with two RBI and three runs; and Gavin Tarr went 5-for-10, with two doubles and four RBI helping Freedom defeat Hillsborough and Leto and stretch the win streak to seven games. The Patriots host Chamberlain (Tues) and visit King (Thurs).
9. East Bay (6-1)
East Bay rallied late for a 5-4 win against Durant with Johnathan Bryant (5-for-8, three RBI on the week) giving the Indians the lead with a seventh-inning RBI single; then Connor Gavigan (4-for-6, HR, 2B, four RBI, three runs on the week) walked off a 9-8 win against Steinbrenner with an RBI single. The Indians have won five-straight, and Saturday’s walk-off was East Bay’s third of the season. The Indians will host Sumner (Tues) and visit Plant City (Thurs).
10. Sickles (5-2)
Sickles junior Nick Grannis
The Gryphons’ bats got some work in last week in a pair of mercy-rule wins over Alonso and Riverview. Despite playing just 12 innings total, Sickles batters had 94 plate appearances, collected 32 hits (29 singles & just three doubles), 16 walks, drove in 33 RBI and 42 runs. Lee Melamut went 6-for-9, with six RBI and scored five runs; and Nick Grannis went 5-for-9 with 11 RBI and three runs scored last week. Sickles visits Leto on (Tues), hosts Plant (Wed) and heads to Berkeley Prep (Thurs) this week.
On the Bubble…
11. Plant (6-3)
12. Cambridge Christian (5-3-1)
13. Foundation Christian (6-0)
14. Durant (3-3)
14. Sumner (4-3)
