Hot
Teams Surge To Top of Rankings
In the
midst of a significant heat wave striking much of the nation, three
of the hottest teams in the nation’s summer college leagues have
surged to the top of Perfect Game’s weekly Top 25 ranking.
Between
them, the No. 1-ranked Edenton Steamers (Coastal Plain), No. 2-ranked
Santa Barbara Foresters (California Collegiate) and No. 3-ranked
Bethesda Big Train (Cal Ripken) went 16-0 since last week’s
ranking. Moreover, the Steamers (33-9) have won 10 straight and 14 of
15 in the second half of the Coastal Plain League season; the
Foresters (29-8) have won 10 straight; and the Big Train (31-7) has
won nine of 10 while tying the club record for most wins in a season
and clinching top spot in the Cal Ripken League.
The
continued hot play of those teams has enabled them to skip over the
top teams in the Cape Cod League, clearly acknowledged as the
nation’s top summer league. The Cape has four teams battling for
the best record in that league, led by the No. 4-ranked Hyannis
Harbor Hawks (20-12) and No. 5-ranked Bourne Braves (18-12). Four of
the nation’s top 13 clubs are from the Cape Cod League.
| 1 | Edenton Steamers | NC | Coastal Plain League | 34-9 |
| Surging Steamers, in midst of second 10-game win streak on season, continue to get inspired play from West Chester (Pa.) 2B Joe Wendle (.406-3-32), strong pitching from CPL all-star RHP Brooks Fiala (4-1, 2.18) |
| 2 | Santa Barbara Foresters | CA | California Collegiate League | 29-8 |
| Texas State OF Jeff McVaney (.455-2-17), L.A. Pierce JC 1B James Wharton (.344-4-27) continue to swing big bats for Foresters, while league's best prospect, Rice RHP Austin Kubitza (1-0, 1.12, 3 SV), anchors bullpen |
| 3 | Bethesda Big Train | MD | Cal Ripken Sr League | 31-7 |
| Big Train gunning for third straight Ripken title; Cal State Northridge 3B Adam Barry (.397-1-38) leads league in BA, RBIs, Mississippi State C Hunter Renfroe (.316-8-30) in HRs, Princeton RHP Matt Bowman (5-1, 0.72) in ERA |
| 4 | Hyannis Harbor Hawks | MA | Cape Cod League | 20-12 |
| Scrappy Arizona OF Joey Richard (.308-0-10), Evansville SS Eric Stamets (.292-0-10, 10 SB) have made Hawks lineup go, while Central Michigan LHP Dietrich Enns (3-1, 0.76) has been valuable in a relief role |
| 5 | Bourne Braves | MA | Cape Cod League | 18-12 |
| Braves making strong second-half push for best record in Cape behind solid pitching of Louisiana State RHP Ryan Eades (3-0, 0.68), league ERA leader, and Coastal Carolina RHP Josh Conway (2-0, 0.82) |
| 6 | Harrisonburg Turks | VA | Valley League | 27-10 |
| Wake Forest OF Mac Williamson (.383-9-35), Wingate (N.C.) OF Dodson McPherson (.349-7-38) have swung most potent bats in Valley League; LaSalle RHP Pat Christensen (2-1, 0.72, 10 SV, 25 IP/39) has excelled as closer |
| 7 | Wenatchee Applesox | WA | West Coast League | 26-8 |
| Two-time WCL champs sailing along behind Washington State 3B Adam Nelubowich (.315-8-22), Gonzaga OF Payden Cawley Lamb (.387-0-19), Kentucky LHP Alex Phillips (4-1, 2.49), Portland RHP Owen Jones (5-1, 2.43) |
| 8 | Brewster White Caps | MA | Cape Cod League | 17-12 |
| Washington State OF Jason Monda (.342-1-12) is one of Cape's top hitters, while San Francisco RHP Brandon Love (3-0, 1.52) and Rice RHP J.T. Chargois (0-0, 0.53, 6 SV) have been valuable in Whitecaps bullpen |
| 9 | Kenai Peninsula Oilers | AK | Alaska League | 23-11 |
| Oilers open big lead in Alaska standings on strength of 1.76 team ERA, highlighted by Long Beach State RHP Jon Maciel (2-0, 0.68), league ERA leader, plus hot bat of Cal Poly SS Mike Miller (.409-0-12), league's top hitter |
| 10 | East Texas Pumpjacks | TX | Texas Collegiate League | 27-12 |
| Pumpjacks opening big lead in TCL standings; McNeese State teammates, OF Seth Granger (.328-1-27) and RHP Jaden Dillon (6-1, 2.46), have played key role along with Southern Cal RHP Matt Munson (3-0, 1.27) |
| 11 | Quincy Gems | IL | Prospect League | 27-12 |
| Gems have been PL's best club from the outset; Southern Illinois 1B Chris Serritella (..351-7-31), Concordia (Minn.) 3B Bryan Lippincott (.333-5-42), league Home Run Derby champ, have swung hot bats for team |
| 12 | Mankato MoonDogs | MN | Northwoods League | 28-16 |
| MoonDogs still own NWL's best record, despite 1-4 week; Utah OF Shaun Cooper (.338-12-39, 11 SB) is league's top offensive player, while Minnesota State RHP Blake Schwatz (5-1, 1.54, 47 IP/57 SO) has excelled on mound |
| 13 | Harwich Mariners | MA | Cape Cod League | 17-13 |
| Mt. Olive RHP Carter Capps, third-round pick of Seattle Mariners in 2011 draft, has been auditioning this summer with Cape's Mariners, posting 3-1, 0.47 record in relief; Kentucky LHP Taylor Rogers (2-2, 1.73) is team's ace |
| 14 | Holyoke Blue Sox | MA | New England Collegiate League | 20-11 |
| Surprising Sox have gotten big production from Kennesaw State C Ronnie Freeman (.358-4-15), Notre Dame 1B Trey Mancini (.327-7-32), Southern Cal RHP Ben Mount (4-0, 1.41), BYU RHP Chris Capper (3-1, 2.25) |
| 15 | San Luis Obispo Blues | CA | California Collegiate League | 26-11 |
| Blues continue to stay hot on trail of No. 2 Foresters in CCL standings behind bats of Kansas 1B Zac Elgie (.307-3-27), Oregon 3B Dylan Gavin (.308-2-17), strong pitching of Northern Illinois LHP Tom Barry (5-2, 1.80) |
| 16 | St. Joseph Mustangs | MO | MINK League | 31-10 |
| Mustangs remain top club in MINK League, thanks to Missouri State 3B Brent Seifert (.359-2-34, 22 2B), pitching of Central Missouri RHP Kyle Jackson (5-1, 3.08), Northwest Missouri State RHP Jayson Huett (4-0, 1.82) |
| 17 | Palm Springs Power | CA | Southern California Collegiate League | 35-4 |
| Chico State RHP Nick Baker (9-0, 1.59), Cal State San Bernardino RHP Casey McCarthy (5-0, 1.37) remain unbeaten for Power, while USC-bound Ryan Garvey (.364-2-16), Steve's son, has swung hot stick |
| 18 | Glens Falls Golden Eagles | NY | Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League | 21-11 |
| Six-game unbeaten streak lifts Eagles to top mark in PGCBL; St. Louis RHP Derek Mazzio (1-0, 1.50, 36 IP/43 SO) has excelled as a starter, Northwestern RHP Kyle Ruchim (2-0, 6 SV, 16 IP/33 SO) in relief |
| 19 | Fayetteville Swampdogs | NC | Coastal Plain League | 26-16 |
| Three CPL all-stars, Tampa 2B Eric Grabe (.324-2-23, 13 SB), LeMoyne LHP Michael Anarumo (4-0, 1.50) and Tampa RHP/OF Cody Davis (1-1, 1.23, 12 SV; .280-1-23), have sparked Swampdogs in run to playoff bid |
| 20 | Battle Creek Bombers | MI | Northwoods League | 26-17 |
| Bombers getting offensive production from Texas-San Antonio OF Daniel Rockett (.336-4-31), Central Michigan SS Jordan Dean (.312-1-19); Western Michigan RHP Troy Forton (4-2, 2.68) is team's top starter |
| 21 | Corvallis Knights | OR | West Coast League | 23-14 |
| Two Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) products, RHP Max Beatty (5-1, 2.38) and IF Corey Moore (.314-1-12), have given perennial WCL power Knights an unexpected lift as they continue to chase down Wenatchee |
| 22 | Lima Locos | OH | Great Lakes League | 19-11 |
| Locos have supplanted Cincinnati Steam as GLL's best club; Kennesaw State 1B Andy Chriscaden (.327-3-19) has been team's top bat while Chattahoochee Valley CC RHP Michael O'Neal (2-2, 1.21) is the top starter |
| 23 | Danbury Westerners | CT | New England Collegiate League | 19-11 |
| Nebraska OF Tanner Krieremeier (.352-2-15), Virginia Tech OF Tyler Horan (.317-8-22) have kept Westerners in hunt for top spot in NECBL, while Tennessee RHP Nick Williams (4-1, 2.86) has been a key arm on mound |
| 24 | Winchester Royals | VA | Valley League | 23-13 |
| Penn State LHP Greg Welsh (6-1, 1.47) has stood out on mound for Royals, while Sheperd (W.Va.) 1B Nathan Minnich (.280-9-26) has supplied the power, and West Virginia OF Brady Wilson (.313-2-24, 24 SB) the speed |
| 25 | Leesburg Lightning | FL | Florida Collegiate League | 21-9 |
| Lightning continue to trade Florida league top spot with Winter Park; Florida SS Jacob Tillotson (.367-1-17) and Florida Atlantic C Michael Albaladejo (.310-0-15), both FCSL all-stars, have carried team at plate |
