Our weekly rankings this season have been generously sponsored by an anonymous donor, who has asked 813Preps to pick some local charities and non-profits to highlight throughout the season. This week, our Week 2 rankings sponsor is Buddy Baseball. Buddy Baseball is a non-competitive recreational league for boys and girls with special needs ages 8 to 22 playing in Temple Terrace. The league fosters friendships and breaks down social barriers with each player being paired with a buddy.  Buddy Baseball is an opportunity like no other for children with special needs. Not only do the players enjoy the thrill of participating, they also get to experience team play and camaraderie. The league was founded in the Fall of 2009, with two seasons per year. We have won numerous awards throughout the years including, “Outstanding Community Service” from the Mayor’s Alliance for Persons with Disabilities and the “Excellence is Action” award from Hillsborough County Public Schools. Come on out to see a game this season, it will be the best part of your Saturday. Game times, sponsorship and donation information is on our website (click here for more).

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1. Jesuit (3-0)

Alden Segui, Dom Castellano and Ryan Denison combined for a five-inning no-hitter against Tampa Catholic on Friday (we were there and you can catch up by clicking here). Nick Rodriguez added a five-RBI game and leads the team with eight RBI, while BJ Graham 6-for-10 on the year with five runs and five RBI. [Last Week: No. 1]
This week: Tues, 3/2 at Hillsborough; Fri, 3/5 at Venice; Sat 3/6 vs Venice

2 Bloomingdale (5-0)

The Bulls have started the season winning all five games against teams we ranked in our Preseason Top 15 – and limited them to a combined eight runs. Credit that to the starting pitching tandem of senior David Eckaus (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 15 K in 10 innings) and Jack Owens (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 19K in 13 2/3 innings). Last week Bloomingdale took down Robinson and Strawberry Crest (a game you can get more details on by clicking here) in games at home. [LW: No. 4]
This week: Today at East Bay; Thurs, 3/4 vs Newsome; Fri, 3/5 at Plant City

3. Berkeley Prep (4-1)

The Buccaneers won a tough, extra-inning game at Lakewood Ranch, defeated Brooks DeBartolo and dropped a game to Lakeland, 6-4 on Saturday. Sophomores Cade Kurland and James Hankerson hit their first career varsity home runs last week. [LW: No. 2]
This week: Tues, 3/2 vs Tampa Prep; Fri, 3/5 at Clearwater Central Catholic

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4. Gaither (2-0)

Gaither didn’t have a game last week, but business picks up for the Cowboys this week with a home-and-away with district opponent Mitchell bookending a game at Steinbrenner on Thursday. [LW: No. 6]
This week: Tues, 3/2 vs Mitchell; Thurs, 3/4 at Steinbrenner; Fri, 3/5 at Mitchell

5. Sickles (2-1)

Seniors Holden Wade and Bobby Christy held Wharton off the scoreboard from the mound before Adrian Gutierrez finished off the Wildcats with an RBI walk-off double (read about that here), and the Gryphons took one on the road at Palm Harbor to pick up two wins in district play last week. [LW: No. 8]

This week: Today at Steinbrenner; Fri, 3/5 at Alonso; Sat, 3/6 vs Durant

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6. Wharton (4-1)

Wharton lost a nail-biter at Sickles on Tuesday, but shook that one off quickly with a shutout win over 7A-7 opponent Steinbrenner behind a complete-game, 10-strikeout performance by Evan Chrest and a home run off the bat of Zach Ehrhard, and winning a thriller in come-from-behind fashion against Durant (which you can read all about by clicking here). [LW: No. 3]
This week: Tues, 3/2 vs Alonso; Thurs, 3/4 vs Plant

7. Hillsborough (4-0)

The Terriers took care of business against Blake and Countryside as senior Brady Burgess and junior Salvy Urso each drove in five runs on the week. Caden Ross pitched five innings and earned the win against the Yellow Jackets allowing just one hit. A meeting of undefeated teams goes down at home against Jesuit on Tuesday. [LW: No. 11]
This week: Tues, 3/2 vs Jesuit; Thurs, 3/4 at Lennard; Sat, 3/6 vs Middleton

8. Durant (3-1)

Senior Ronnie Galletti and Weston Sanchez combined for nine strikeouts as Durant blanked Plant City last week (click here to read about it), before coming up just short against Wharton. [LW: No. 4]
This week: Tues, 3/2 vs Middleton; Sat, 3/6 at Sickles

9. Strawberry Crest (3-1)

Sophomore Arjun Nimmala smoked a ball to right field for an RBI double as the Chargers took an extra-inning win at Leto in district play last Tuesday. On Friday, two senior pitchers squared off in Valrico with Crest coming up a bit short against Bloomingdale. A trio of games ahead including district tilts with the Hawks and Raiders. [LW: No. 7]
This week: Tues, 3/2 vs Armwood; Thurs, 3/4 at Plant City; Fri, at Plant

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10. Plant City (4-1)

The Raiders took one on the chin against Durant, but didn’t let it spoil a good week taking wins off Steinbrenner and Brandon with junior Colin Shultz going 5-for-8, with 6 RBI, 4 runs, a double and a pair of dingers in the two victories. Two games within 6A-8 play this week, and a showdown with the No. 2-ranked Bulls.  [LW: No. 9]
This week: Today at Leto; Thurs, 3/4 vs Strawberry Crest; Fri, 3/5 vs Bloomingdale

On the Bubble:
11. Leto (4-1) [LW: No. 10]
12. Alonso (4-1) [LW: NR]
13. Seffner Christian (2-1-1) [LW: No. 12]
14. Robinson (2-2) [LW: No. 13]
15. Newsome (2-2) [LW: No. NR]

Dropping out this week: Plant (0-4); Tampa Prep (2-2)