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California: Fried enrolls at Harvard-Westlake >>

8/18/2011 8:53:58 AM

After Montclair Prep (Van Nuys) announced it was dropping all athletics programs, all of their athletes essentially became free agents. Ace lefty Max Fried, who recently struck out the side at the 2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic has chosen to enroll at Harvard-Westlake High School.

Fried will join fellow All-American, Lucas Giolito, in what is now easily the top pitching staff in California, if not the nation. After reaching the second round of the CIF Southern Section Playoffs last year with a young team, the Wolverines look like serious contenders for 2012.

Nevada: Gorman Dynasty Claims 6th Straight Title >>

5/23/2011 12:13:49 PM

Bishop Gorman continued its incredible streak of state championships with a 10-0 win over Green Valley in the 4A Nevada State Championship game on Saturday. The impressive streak dates back to 2006 and matches the longest streak in the state's history by a large school, matching Green Valley's run of dominance in the 1990s.

Bishop Gorman head coach Nick Day was a player on those Green Valley teams, and after serving as an assistant during Gorman's run, now becomes the second head coach to lead the Gaels to a championship during the incredible run.

Bishop Gorman finished the season on a 21 game winning streak to finish at 36-4. The Gaels' roster suggests that the streak could continue over the next few years as well. Though they will graduate key players in C Erik Van Meetren and RHP/SS TJ White, they will return a lot talent, highlighted by one of the top juniors in the nation in 3B Joey Gallo.

California: Owens throws playoff no-hitter >>

5/23/2011 8:48:03 AM

Edison LHP Henry Owens made a huge statement in the Chargers' 11-0 win in the opening round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs against Santiago. Owens struck out 12 and walked just one.

The top seeded Chargers will play again on Tuesday against Orange Lutheran.

California: Crosscheckers' Dream Matchup >>

5/20/2011 9:35:42 AM

In the opening game of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs MLB organizations will be given an opportunity to watch several intriguing prospects for the upcoming draft in one place when top seed Edison takes on Santiago.

LHP Henry Owens will get the start for Edison, one of the final opportunities for teams to watch the potential first rounder. He will face SS Brandon Martin, a matchup that is surely intriguing to decision makers who are in the process of finalizing their draft boards. Organizations will also be able to get a look at Edison SS Christian Lopes and CF Eric Snyder.

Georgia: Columbus/Ringgold Matchup >>

5/11/2011 3:02:02 PM

The headline series of this week's second round of the Georgia playoffs is the match-up between Ringgold and Columbus, but not for the reasons one would have expected only a few weeks ago.

The teams squared off in last year's AAA championship with Columbus sweeping Ringgold to win their first title since 2005, and both teams have been highly ranked in the Georgia Coaches Assocation poll as well as the PG High School Southeast Regional Rankings all year.

Both teams have top level talent, especially on the mound with Columbus featuring LHPs Will Solomon and Kyle Carter, who doubles as one of the state's best outfielders. Rinngold counters with LHP Matthew Crownover, a junior committed to Clemson, and senior RHP Colton Cross, a Kennesaw State commit that is one of the risers in the state this spring, as well as Mercer commit RHP Corey Kafka.

But the Ringgold Tigers run in the state playoffs was put on hold April 27, when a series of tornadoes ripped through the Southeast, destroying the Ringgold Middle and High Schools and devastating the town.

The damage to the school was too much to continue classes for the year, but the baseball team will continue playing.

Ringgold swept their first round series against Riverwood, and their preparation for the series against Columbus has been made easier by the city of Columbus, who has collected donations for the city of Ringgold, secured free hotel rooms for the baseball team during the series, as well as allowing them to using Columbus HS Jordan Field for their practices.

The series should be a great one, maybe even the best of this year's Georgia playoffs, but it will be with heavy hearts as the town of Ringgold attempts moves on from this disaster.

Arizona: Final Four Set in 5A >>

5/11/2011 1:37:35 PM

5A Division I:

So far it has been all paint as the top four seeds remain. Fourth seed Hamilton takes on top seed Mesquite, who had to play their way through the loser's bracket after being upset in the second round by Brophy Prep. In the other semifinal #2 seed Mountain Pointe holds the edge over third seed Desert Ridge in a rematch of last year's championship game.

If Hamilton and Mountain Pointe win they advance, a win by Mesquite or Desert Ridge will force a second deciding semifinal matchup. Semifinal action gets underway tomorrow at 4:00.

5A Division II:

12-seed Perry's cinderella run continues when they face eight seed Millenium, while 2nd seed Chaparral takes on defending champion Horizon. Perry and Chaparral hold advantages in their respective matchups.

Louisiana: Playoff Update >>

5/10/2011 10:07:28 AM

The Louisiana State Championship is set for Saturday with all classes except 5A down to a final 4 teams. Here is a look at the match ups for this weekend.

5A

5A is down to a final 8, with quarterfinal match ups on Friday, semi-finals on Saturday morning, before a 7 pm Saturday championship.

-Baton Rouge Catholic is the #1 seed and favorite, and moved onto the Quarterfinals with a 10-1 win over Captain Shreve on Monday. RHP Austin Nola, an LSU commit, and draft prospect worked 91-94 with his fastball.

-Catholic will take on a talented Byrd team, coming off a 2-1 win over Mandeville.

-The other quarterfinal on the top of the bracket is an intriguing match up between two talented teams in Barbe and Jesuit.

-The bottom of the bracket features two more solid match ups with Zachary facing Acadiana and Denham Springs facing #2 seed Lafayette.

4A

- The 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A, B, and C tournaments have two semifinals set for Friday before a Saturday afternoon championships.

-The #5 seed, St. Louis Catholic is the highest remaining seed with their next game against #9 seed Ruston.

-In the lower half of the bracket, the #6 and 10 seeds square off with St. Michael's taking on West Ouachita.

3A

- It looked like #1 seed Notre Dame and #2 seed Parkview Baptist were on a collision course in the state championship, until Notre Dame was upset last night by Livonia in 8 innings. Parkview picked up a 7-3 win over Catholic NI and Holy Cross is the only team that stands between them and another trip to the state title game.

-Livonia will take on #4 seed Eunice in the other semi-final.

2A

- #1 seed Calvary Baptist looks to be the favorite, but has had two tough games so far, a one-run win over Episcopal and a two-run win over Menard.

- They face Lakeside who has given up only two runs in three tournament games so far.

-The other semi-final features Dunham and Evangel Chrisitian.

1A

- St. Mary's is the #1 seed and has cruised to three wins so far, it will be tougher Friday as they take on Catholic PC.

- #14 seed Oak Grove has two straight upset wins and will try to make it three against #2 seed Ouachita Christian.

B

- Choudrant has scored 49 runs in their three games with #5 seed Florien being the next team that will try to stop the Aggie offense.

-#3 seed Maurepas has had just as much offensive success so far, plating 28, 9 and 8 runs. They face #10 seed Forest, fresh off a 6-5 upset win over #2 seed Converse.

C

- Claiborne Christian looks to keep their Class C dynasty alive and has rolled to two shutout victories after a first round bye. The face #3 seed Hicks, who has scored 22 runs in two games so far.

- The top of the bracket features #1 seed Family Christian taking on #5 seed Elizabeth.

California: Mitty Gets Revenge >>

5/4/2011 9:58:13 AM

Defending CIF champion Archbishop Mitty earned a huge win yesterday over St. Francis to avenge a 12-3 loss in their previous matchup on March 29. The win moves the Monarchs into a tie with St. Francis for first place in the West Catholic League with one game left to play.

Mitty starter Brett Fuller worked out of jams in the first and second innings before settling down to quiet one of the most talented lineups in the state, going 6 1/3 innings allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out seven to earn the victory. Tyler Davis earned the save, working out of a bases loaded one-out situation to quiet the Lancers rally.

Since the previous meeting the two teams have gone in opposite directions. Mitty has gone 15-1, while St. Francis who was ranked number one in the country at the time before going 8-4 in the weeks since. In spite of some recent struggles from the supremely talented Lancers, these two teams look to be the favorites heading into the CIF Central Coast Section playoffs which begin on May 18.

Washington: Fisher Lifts Newport Over Redmond >>

5/4/2011 9:37:16 AM

Newport cut Redmond's lead to half a game with a 3-2 win at home last night. Jared Fisher's two-run Home Run in the bottom of the fourth broke the 1-1 tie and put the Knights ahead for good.

Cole Wiper struck out ten over four innings to earn the win for Newport. The Knights, who wrestled away the tie-breaker from the top ranked team in the state will face Eastlake today with the division title on the line. Redmond has concluded its regular season at 14-6 (3-3) and need Eastlake to win today in order to clinch the division.

Texas: Trevino Ties HR Record, Tosses Perfect Game >>

5/3/2011 3:57:59 PM

John Paul II MIF/RHP Jose Trevino had a huge game in the Centurions TAPPS 4A playoff opener. Not only did Trevino tie the single season record for Home Runs in a season in the state of Texas (25) but he also threw a run-rule shortened 5-inning perfect game, striking out 13 of the 15 hitters he faced. Trevino is commited to Oral Roberts.

Tennessee: Norris KOs Farragut >>

5/1/2011 8:46:04 PM

Science Hill ace Daniel Norris lit up radar guns with a fastball that reportedly topped out at 96 MPH and slowed down one of the best lineups in the state as the Hilltoppers took down Farragut 5-3 Saturday.

Norris extended his no-hit streak to 14 innings before a single by Chandler Vannoy in the third broke it up (Norris threw back-to-back no-hitters leading up to the matchup with Farragut). Vannoy came around to score the first run of the game. Farragut took a 2-1 lead into the sixth inning before a two-out two-run Home Run by Kevin Nelson that put Science Hill up for good. Science Hill added two in the top of the seventh, Farragut's rally fell short after scoring one in their last at bat.

Nevada: Gorman Hands Sierra Vista First Loss >>

5/1/2011 7:53:32 PM

Sierra Vista's run at perfection came to an end Saturday, as the five time defending state champion Bishop Gorman handed the Lions their first loss of the season, 6-3. It was the second time the two teams have met this year, with Sierra Vista taking the first meeting 8-5 on April 9.

The Gaels got out to a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning before the Lions began to rally in the sixth. After scoring two in the sixth and one in the seventh Gorman brought in Joey Gallo to slam the door on the Lions. Gallo also added his 20th Home Run of the season in addition to earning the Save. SP Cody Roper went 2-for-3 with a pair of Home Runs in addition to pitching well (6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER) to earn the win.

The win extends Bishop Gorman's winning streak to 12 and pulls them into a tie with Sierra Vista for first place in the Southwest League at 13-1 while giving the Gaels the tie-breaker. Sierra Vista falls to 29-1 on the year. Both teams are well equipped to make deep runs in the playoffs and could possibly meet again in an even bigger game.

Arizona: Cron Finishes Rewriting Record Book >>

4/30/2011 4:06:58 PM

In the final regular season game of the year Mountain Pointe's Kevin Cron crushed a pair of Home Runs to break the last remaining state Home Run record. Cron's 22nd HR of the year tied the state record for a single season (which he also tied last year as a Junior), then he broke it later in the game to move into sole possesion of first place.

Cron also holds the career record for Home Runs as well and will have a chance to extend his lead in both categories as the playoffs get underway this week. Mountain Pointe also set a team record for most Home Runs in a season with 79 (28 games) and are the #2 seed in 5A Division I.

Nevada: Gallo's Monster Day >>

4/25/2011 10:03:50 PM

Bishop Gorman's Joey Gallo had yet another big day at the plate on Thursday as the Gaels swept a doubleheader in the Easter Classic Tournament. Gallo swatted a pair of Home Runs in the first game (a 13-2 win over Alta, UT) and added 3 more in the second (36-1 drubbing of Cyprus, UT). Gallo's season Home Run total is now up to 16. Sophomore OF Kenny Meimerstrom tacked on 3 Homers of his own in the Gaels' big day.

Bishop Gorman went on to win the Easter Classic tournament and improved their record to 22-4 on the year.

Alabama: Goodson's Huge Junior Season >>

4/25/2011 9:15:59 AM

Oxford junior OF Matthew Goodson had a year to remember finishing with a .489 average, 22 home runs, 63 RBI, and 25 stolen bases.

The Alabama commit is ranked #82 in the 2012 class and looks like a player that could break out even more with a big summer showcase and tournament season.

Goodson's Oxford team failed to make the playoffs despite a 35-7 record as they fell a game short of Grissom in 6A Region 14.

Oxford looks to be even stronger next year as they return Goodson, along with RHP Tucker Simpson, RHP/1B Trent Simpson, and 3B Jackson Stephens.

Mississippi: Madison Central Thrilling Comeback >>

4/25/2011 9:03:29 AM

Friday night's match up between Sumrall and Madison Central served as a big pre-playoff test for the top two teams in the state and did not disappoint.

Sumrall's offense was very impressive scoring 7 runs of Madison Central ace RHP Josh Laxer in five innings. With the score 7-2 and LHP Luke Lowery rolling, it looked like Sumrall would once again get the better of the Jaguars. But Madison Central rallied with six runs in the 7th with Stanford Parks chasing Lowery from the game with a home run and Lee Harbour winning the game with a two-run single.

The game served as the last tune-up before the MissHSAA playoffs start Friday. Madison Central looks to be the favorite for the 6A crown and going 26-1 in the regular season. They face the winner of the Warren Central/Columbus Friday in a three-game series to begin their postseason.

Sumrall had a bit of a down year compared to the lofty standards set over the last three years, losing four games. The Bobcats still look to be the favorite in 3A and will face Hazlehurst or Clarkdale in their first playoff action.

Oklahoma: Santa Fe Knocks off Broken Arrow >>

4/24/2011 5:28:35 PM

The third ranked team in Oklahoma, Edmond Santa Fe, took down one of the two powerhouses in the state. The Wolves knocked off Broken Arrow, the 3rd ranked team in the nation, 6-5 last night. The loss snapped Broken Arrow's 20-game win streak and was their first loss in their home state (first loss came at a tournament in Florida). Santa Fe improved to 26-7, Broken Arrow falls to 25-2. The two teams met previously on March 25th, a 6-2 Broken Arrow victory.

Broken Arrow rallied from being down 4-0 in the second and the game was tied at 5-5 in the top of the seventh inning when Kyle Lacy came to bat. Lacy blasted a a solo Home Run off of one of the best pitchers in the country (Archie Bradley) to put Santa Fe up a run and Kyle Shaw slammed the door by striking out the heart of the Tigers order in succession following a leadoff walk.

California: Cathedral Catholic wins SD Lions >>

4/22/2011 5:42:55 PM

Cathedral Catholic capped off an impressive run to the title in one of the top HS tournaments in the nation by holding off fellow San Diego power La Costa Canyon 6-5 in the championship game yesterday. LHP/OF Daniel Camarena was named tournament MVP. The Dons improved to 17-2 on the year and with wins over La Costa Canyon and Rancho Bernardo (for the second time this season) look like the top team in San Diego at the moment.

Califfornia: Bishop Amat Wins Hardball 9 >>

4/22/2011 10:31:16 AM

Bishop Amat crushed Esperanza 12-1 in the championship game of the Hardball 9 National Classic tournament at Cal State Fullerton yesterday. 3B/RHP Rio Ruiz nailed down the save after coming in the 4th inning and allowing just one hit. CF Wallace Gonzalez was named the tournament MVP, Jordan McCraney was Most Valuable Pitcher. This was the third National Classic title in Amat's school history.

El Capitan (CA) knocked off IMG Academy (FL) 9-7 in the third place game.

Arizona: Cron, Pride Crush Hamilton >>

4/21/2011 4:27:24 PM

Mountain Pointe made a statement with an 11-1 drubbing of Hamilton yesterday. Kevin Cron picked up some breathing room over teammate Joey Curletta who hit his 17th homer of the season, a walk-off Grand Slam to invoke the run rule. Cron hit a pair of Home Runs himself, to run his season total up to 20. Cron is just 2 HRs shy of the state record for homers in a season, which he tied last year as a Junior. He also earned the win on the mound, throwing a complete game and allowing just one run on 2 hits.

The Pride moved to 21-4 on the year with their 11th consecutive victory.

Missouri: Munson puts up huge game >>

4/21/2011 11:27:34 AM

Francis Howell 3B Case Munson capped off a record setting day with a walk-off grand slam to lead the Vikings to a come-from-behind 13-10 victory over Vianney yesterday. The homer was Munson's third of the game, which set a school record, as did the nine RBIs he racked up. Munson now leads all St. Louis area hitters with 10 HRs on the season and is now hitting .517 after the 4-for-5 day (other hit was a double).

Arizona: Curletta Giving Chase >>

4/20/2011 4:29:53 PM

Mountain Pointe Senior Kevin Cron tied the single season Home Run record with 22 last year, he broke the career record this year and currently leads the state with 17 this season. But teammate Joey Curlettam, a Junior, is giving him a run for his money, currently sitting just one Home Run back of Cron for the state lead.

Nevada: Gallo Crushes 3 HRs >>

4/19/2011 10:14:33 AM

Bishop Gorman 3B Joey Gallo had a huge day to pace the Gaels to a 24-10 win over Desert Oasis, going 3-for-5 with 3 Home Runs. Gallo, the 12th ranked player in the class of 2012 now has 10 on the year (20 games played) to go along with a .397 average and 34 RBIs.

Tennessee: Christian Brothers Travels to Anaheim >>

4/19/2011 9:42:31 AM

Christian Brothers High School (Memphis, TN) has been one of the busier teams in the nation this year and travel this week to Anaheim, CA to play in the Hard 9 National Classic. The 16-team field features 11 teams from California, two from Arizona, along with Bingham (UT), IMG Academies (FL).

Christian Brothers dropped their first game of the tournament 3-1 to Esperenza, CA with Michael Gunn picking up the loss on mound, giving up five hits and striking out nine. Gunn did help his cause at the plate with a pair of doubles.

The Brothers take on California power Chatsworth today at 1 pm.

Here is the full bracket. Check back for more updates as the tournament progresses.

http://www.national-classic.com/2011NationalClassicBrackets.pdf

Texas: Taylor Back With a Vengence >>

4/15/2011 1:49:13 PM

SB Memorial C Wayne Taylor missed the first 18 games of the season with an injury. He has made up for lost time in the 9 games since he's returned. Taylor has homered in all 9 games and is batting .516 and has cut down 4 out of 5 attempted base stealers. Taylor is a senior committed to Stanford.

Spanish Fork Wins Big League Dugout >>

4/1/2011 12:01:07 AM

Spanish Fork (UT) fought off Bishop Gorman (NV) to win the 2011 Big League Dugout National Invitational title game 3-2 tonight.

Matt Nelson earned the win, Kayden Porter the Save. Porter and Andy Perksin each drove in a Run and went 1-for-2 with a walk. Bishop Gorman's Joey Gallo's fastball was up to 93 MPH in the losing effort, racking up 5 strikeouts.

Check back tomorrow for a recap.

Tennessee: Pfeifer Breaks State Win Record >>

3/30/2011 4:05:38 PM

Farragut LHP Phillip Pfeifer improved his career record to an astounding 43-3 with a win over Columbia in the Blackman invitationa, breaking the previous state record of 42 wins set by Oakdale's Brad Howard from 1992-1996.

Pfeifer struck out 12 in a one-hitter to break the record, moving his mark to 2-0 on the year.

Farragut went on to beat host Blackman 10-1 before losing a rain soaked contest to Dyer County 17-13, their second loss of the year, before having their tournament finale against Bartlett rained out.

The Admirals fell from #2 to #12 in the PG National High School Rankings and has a tough week ahead with district matches against West on Wednesday and Bearden on Friday, before taking on Lenoir City on Monday.

Florida: Orangewood Drops First Game >>

3/30/2011 3:51:01 PM

Last Tuesday, Dr. Phillips led undefeated Orangewood Christian 6-5 going into the top of the 7th. Orangewood came back to score three runs in the top of the inning on a Christian Magno homerun and then shut down Dr. Phillips in the bottom half for a big win.

Dr. Phillips got even last night, ending Orangewood undefeated season with a 12-10 win in the Spring Break Slam tournament. Jack Flaherty went 3-5 with a homerun and two RBI, while Ryan Larson had three hits with a double and two RBI.

Tomas Nido went 2-4 with a home run and four RBI to pace the Orangewood offense.

Dr. Phillips will take on Wekiva in one semi-final, with Martin County and West Orange facing off in the other.

Orangewood plays Edgewater Wednesday in consolation play.

California: St. Francis Knocks Off Mitty >>

3/30/2011 2:58:44 PM

In a battle of elite Northern California powers St. Francis asserted its dominance over 19th ranked Archbishop Mitty, pulling away late in what was a tight battle for 5 innings, winning 12-3.

With their ace Tyler Davis on the mound, Mitty took a 2-1 lead into the 5th before giving up 3-runs to fall behind for good. St. Francis broke it open with 5 runs in the 6th to sink the Monarchs and improve to 13-1 on the season. These two teams will meet again on May 3.

Illinois: Wivinis Shuts Down Gorman >>

3/29/2011 2:56:48 PM

Matt Wivinis was sharp today and pitched a good game as Downers Grove South (IL) handed 8th ranked Bishop Gorman (NV) its first loss of the season. Wivinis thew a complete game, striking out 7 without issuing a walk, scattering 6 hits to improve the Mustangs to 2-0 in pool play at the Big League Dugout National Invitational.

3B Joey Gallo went 2-for-3 for Bishop Gorman, C Erik VanMeetren was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Wivinis, a Kansas State commit has shown rapid development over the past couple of years, making the jump from 83 MPH with his fastball in the fall of 2009 up to 89 last fall. He impressed PG scouts at the 2010 WWBA World Championship in Jupiter with the movement on his fastball and his low effort delivery.

Downers Grove will wrap up pool play against Hamilton (AZ) tomorrow at 3:45 and can clinch a spot in the semi-finals with a win.

Nevada: White's Walk-Off Lifts Gorman >>

3/29/2011 12:49:06 PM

Bishop Gorman's TJ White came through in a big way to keep the Gaels undefeated in their opening game at the Big League Dugout National Invitational tournament. White capped off a 3-for-4 day with a walk-off 2-run Home Run to give Gorman a 4-3 win.

Mitch Nay went 2-for-3 with a tape measure shot Home Run to center in the first inning in a losing effort for Hamilton.

Gorman rallied back after being down 3-0 in the fourth inning, pulling off the difficult feat of beating Hamilton (AZ) ace Jake Andrews. Bishop Gorman will face Downers Grove (IL), who is coming off a 9-1 win in its opener, this afternoon. Hamilton will look to break its 2-game losing streak against Cottonwood (UT).

Arizona: Cron rewrites record book >>

3/28/2011 10:04:19 AM

Mountain Pointe's Kevin Cron tied the single season Home Run record last year with 22 as a Junior. On Friday he crushed a pair of no-doubt homers to tie and then break the Arizona career record for Home Runs. Cron moved into sole possession of first place with Homers in the 3rd and 5th innings of a win 15-2 win over Westwood. Cron currently leads the state with 12 Home Runs this season.

Mountain Pointe head coach Brandon Buck describes his Catcher as "the best hitter I've ever seen!" Kevin is committed to TCU but those plans may change depending on how things shake out with the MLB draft. Both Kevin and his older brother CJ (a Mountain Pointe alum), are both expected to be drafted this year.

Kentucky: Creech Crushes Five Homers >>

3/25/2011 7:55:08 AM

Wolfe County (KY) sophomore C Dylan Creech picked up from where the left off from last year, hitting five consecutive home runs over two games to open the season. He hit three consecutive solo shots before a two-run job, and then capped it off with a grand slam. Wolfe County split the two games with Menifee County, losing 4-3 before winning 20-2.

Creech led the state in hitting a year ago as a freshman with a .664 mark that included eight home runs and 99 RBI. He is a player to watch as he continues to rack up gaudy numbers in an already great high school career.

Texas: Brenham escapes on Roberts walk-off >>

3/24/2011 9:30:11 AM

SS Drake Roberts lifted 45th ranked Brenham to a 6-5 win over Montgomery in 9 innings, blasting a walk-off Home Run to cap off a 2-for-4 day. The Cubs improved to 17-4 with the win, their 10th in a row.

California: Owens Ks 10 in one-hitter >>

3/24/2011 9:13:46 AM

Edison LHP Henry Owens turned in another dominant performance yesterday. The lefty led the 4th ranked Chargers to a 2-0 win over Huntington Beach, improving Edison to 8-1 on the season. Owens struck out 10 while walking 2. SS Christian Lopes continued his productive season with a piar of hits.

Edison, ranked 4th in the nation, will be back in action tomorrow when they host Newport Harbor at 3:00.

North Carolina: Maples Ks 18 >>

3/23/2011 2:01:25 PM

Pinecrest RHP Dillon Maples struck out 18 batters in a 3-1 victory over Scotland County. The win moves Pinecrest to 9-1 on the season and 3-0 in conference play.

Maples, who struck out 18 batters and no-hit Scotland last April, again took a no-hitter into the 7th inning, but it was broken up by a Greg Jorgenson single. He ended the game giving up just one hit, and was charged with an unearned run as Jorgenson ended up scoring on a Tim Chavis single after an error. Joey Vecchione picked up the save, striking out two men after Maples exited to run the total to 20.

Pinecrest came in at #42 in the March 22nd National Rankings and is back in action Friday against Purnell Swett, before participating in the Hilltop Invitational Tournament next weekend in Hillsborough.

Scotland fell to 5-5 on the season, but has a top prospect to watch for the 2012 Draft in RHP Curt Britt, a South Carolina commit currently ranked #2 in the state and #39 in the 2012 class.

Arizona: Canyon del Oro wins Lancer Classic >>

3/21/2011 9:55:55 AM

Canyon del Oro (AZ) got on the board early and never took their foot off the gas, cruising to a 13-3 victory over John Burroughs (CA) in the Lancer Classic championship game. The 2009 4A champions won their 7th straight to improve to 15-1 on the season.

Logan France ended the game with a walk-off single in the 5th to invoke the run rule, finishing the day 4-for-4. OF Tanner Sinclair was named tournament MVP. Canyon del Oro has generated 7 MLB players, including Texas Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler.

The tournament field included 21 teams. Tournament host, Salpointe Catholic (AZ), went 3-2-1, falling to 10-3-2 for the season.

Owasso wins Blue Devil Classic >>

3/18/2011 9:25:38 AM

The Owasso Rams concluded their trip to Florida with a 13-3 victory over Winter Haven in the tournament championship game last night. 1B Justin Steelmon capped off a big tournament by going 4-for-5 with 3 Runs and 3 RBI in the championship game.

The Rams finished 4-1 on the trip and now sit at 6-1 on the season. They will be back in Oklahoma for a matchup with Muskogee on Monday.

Broken Arrow won the third place game 11-0 over Lake Wales.

Tennessee: Norris Dazzles in First Outing >>

3/18/2011 7:45:31 AM

Science Hill LHP Daniel Norris, the #1 ranked player in the 2011 class started his season with a bang, striking out 15 in 6 2/3 no hit innings, before being pulled one out away from a no-hitter. A large amount of scouts were in attendance to see the potential first round pick and he did not disappoint, running his fastball up to 95-96 and mixing in a curveball and changeup.

Heath Loyd, a transfer from Providence Academy, had a big debut with three extra base hits and three RBI to give Science Hill an 8-0 win over Tennessee High in early Big Eight Conference Play.

Texas: Rangers hit 2nd walk-off HR of year >>

3/17/2011 4:02:35 PM

Fort Bend Clements has been doing a lot of winning this year. And they've been doing it in dramatic fashion at times. On Tuesday night the Rangers knocked off Dulles 6-4 on a walk-off HR by Cline Andrews.

If it sounds like you've heard that before its because you may recall that they beat Dulles once before this season. Also with a walk-off Homer. Blake Johnson was the hero in the semifinal of the Ewell Jackson tournament in their first meeting.

The Rangers are now 14-2 on the year, and 2-0 in disctrict play. Clements currently sits at no. 39 in the nation in the most recent PG National Top 50 poll and could move up next week with a strong showing in their tournament this weekend. They will face Austin High School tonight at 7:00.

South Carolina: Guerrieri Tosses No-Hitter >>

3/17/2011 3:35:58 PM

Spring Valley RHP Taylor Guerrieri, featured in last week's National High School Game of the Week, followed up that performance with a no-hitter against Lugoff-Elgin in a 10-0 win.

Guerrieri faced 20 batters in six innings, walking one while striking out six. His velocity was again 93-96, and according to Coach Charlie Wentzky, has gotten better every game. He only had to throw nine off-speed pitches in a dominant effort.

He also continues to hit well, going 2-3 with a two run homer to help his own cause.

Mississippi: Sumrall Drops Pitchers Duel >>

3/17/2011 3:23:50 PM

#24 Sumrall managed only three hits in a 1-0 loss to Russell County (AL). Ray Castillo pitched a complete game for Russell County, striking out 12 while walking four.

Tyler Thompson went the distance for Sumrall, allowing only six hits and striking out two. Justin Brown and Hunter Webb, the one and two hitters in the Russell County lineup paced the offense with Brown's solo homer the lone run, Webb had three hits.

Tennessee: Farragut Moves to 2-0 >>

3/17/2011 2:14:36 PM

#1 Farragut won its second game of the year 4-0 over Maryville. LHP Phillip Pfeifer gave up just two hits in six innings of work, and junior LHP Xander Taylor came in to pitch a perfect 7th inning in relief.

The Admirals are back in action this weekend at the Scenic City Tournament in Chattanooga. They face McCallie tonight at 7 pm, and Sparkman Friday at 4 pm, with two Saturday games yet to be announced.

Florida: Kelly Impresses in West Boca Loss >>

3/17/2011 1:34:54 PM

West Boca RHP Michael Kelly threw six shutout innings, giving up five hits, while walking one and striking out nine. West Boca dropped the game 1-0 to Riverview, and have dropped two or their three games in the Sarasota Baseball Classic.

Kelly, currently ranked #15 in the 2011 class, was reportedly 93-94 with his fastball and very impressive.

Bishop Verot 1B Daniel Vogelbach showed impressive power with an opposite field home run at the Orioles minor league complex, with power alleys sitting 375 feet away.

Florida: Selective Recruiting Tournament >>

3/17/2011 1:13:14 PM

The Selective Recruiting Tournament features some of the top teams in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Favorite and #12 Archbishop McCarthy dropped its first game of the tournament 5-0 to Columbus, before beating St. Brendan and Westminster.

Jupiter has rolled to three wins, with a 22-2 run differential and are slated to face American Heritage in the championship game Saturday 1 pm at the University of Miami.

Heritage has been impressive as well with wins over St. Brendan (6-2), Belen (7-4), and Doral Academy (3-0) with Jimmy Nesselt throwing a shutout.

After the championship game will be the Jesuit vs. Gulliver matchup, not within the tournament that is featured as our National Game of the Week. The third place game of the tournament will be played afterward with South Dade taking on Columbus.

Texas: Brickhouse dominates district opener >>

3/17/2011 11:10:09 AM

The Woodlands RHP Bryan Brickhouse threw a complete game 13 strikeout 2-hit gem against Atascocita to lead the Highlanders to a 6-1 win over Atascocita on Tuesday. Brickhouse showed good command, issuing just one walk and throwing 67% of his pitches for strikes.

The Highlanders followed that up with a 14-1 drubbing of St. Thomas yesterday to move to 14-2-2 on the year. An impressive week for The Woodlands, who will be back in action on Tuesday when they host Lufkin.

Bundy leads Owasso to Blue Devil Classic finals >>

3/17/2011 9:53:52 AM

Dylan Bundy helped 9th ranked Owasso avenge their only loss of the season last night against Lake Wales (FL) in the semifinal of the Blue Devil Classic. Bundy pitched well but had his least dominant outing of the season, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) over 6 innings with 7 strikeouts in Owasso's 14-4 victory. He also helped his own cause by hitting a home run. 1B Justin Steelmon also homered for the Rams and had a 3-for-3 day at the plate while C Drew Stiner also went 3-for-3 and drove in 4.

3rd ranked Broken Arrow (OK) took their first loss of the season in the other semi, falling 7-3 to Winter Haven. The Tigers were playing without their start Archie Bradley following a 7th inning ejection during his 6 2/3 inning shutout on Tuesday. Mason Hope, Broken Arrow's #2 starter took the loss. Winter Haven ace Tyler Pike struck out 7, allowing just 3 hits to advance the Blue Devils to the championship game.

The Rams will take on Winter Haven (FL) in the championship game tonight. Owasso's only loss of the season came on Saturday in their first matchup with Lake Wales, they also matched up once already with Winter Haven last Friday, a 7-0 win behind a no-hitter from Bundy.

Florida: Sarasota Baseball Classic >>

3/17/2011 8:40:23 AM

The championship games are set for the two brackets of the Sarasota Baseball Classic.

Premier Bracket Championship
Miami Sunset vs. Royal Palm Beach 5:00 pm @ Riverview

Sunset moved to the title game with victories over North Port (9-2), Cardinal Mooney (6-3) and Manatee (6-5)
Royal Palm Beach has wins over Braden River (10-6), Kings Academy (8-3) and Palmetto (18-2)

Bishop Verot, one of the pre-tourney favorites dropped an 11-1 game to Lakewood Ranch, who also knocked off highly touted West Boca 3-2.

Verot has won its two other games and faces Pendelton today at 5:15.

West Boca beat Dunnellon 12-1 but lost 1-0 to Riverview Wednesday, they face Palmetto at 2:00 pm today.

Elite Bracket Championship
Venice vs. Barron Collier 8:00 pm @ Venice

Venice picked up a big 8-3 win over Palm Beach Central to open the tourney, also beating Pendelton 13-7 and Sarasota 14-4.
Barron Collier has wins over Killian (3-0), Wellington (5-2), and Lakewood Ranch 15-10.

Sarasota beat Palmetto 6-5, and Coral Springs 5-4 before dropping the game to Venice. They face Lakewood Ranch at 5 pm.
Palm Beach Central won its other two games beating Coral Glades 6-3 and Palmetto 2-0. Riverview is their opponent today.

Oklahoma: Owasso & Broken Arrow reach semis >>

3/16/2011 3:17:03 PM

The Blue Devil Classic in Winter Haven, FL features 14 teams. But two teams from Oklahoma, 2nd ranked Broken Arrow and 9th ranked Owasso are getting the most attention. Each moved into today's semi-final round with wins yesterday. The two are scheduled to meet in the regular season on April 15 at Owasso.

The intriguing matchup will not feature the dream pitching matchup of Dylan Bundy vs. Archie Bradley if the two teams do meet. Bradley pitched yesterday, pitching well for 6 2/3 innings before being ejected. Bradley will not be eligible to play in tonight's semi-final against Winter Haven or potentially in the finals tomorrow.

Bundy's last start was a no-hitter of Winter Haven last week. If he were to matchup against Broken Arrow's #2 SP Mason Hope, it would be a huge matchup. But first thing's first, the Rams will have to get past Lake Wales this afternoon, the only team to have beaten them in their first matchup on Saturday.

California: Pitchers duel in San Diego >>

3/16/2011 3:01:01 PM

In a big matchup between twoof the top teams in the San Diego area, Cathedral Catholic's Stephen Gonsalves out dueled Rancho Bernardo's Max Homick ina 1-0 victory.

Gonsalves worked 5 shutout innings with 6 strikeouts, allowing just one hit topick up the win. Gonsalves is the 5th ranked player in the class of 2013, and did not seem intimidated by facing tough competition. The Dons picked up their only run on a RBI single from Nico Garbella, who also nailed down the save.

Washington: Redmond dominates opener >>

3/15/2011 12:35:55 PM

The Redmond Mustangs proved that the preseason expectations were justified in yesterday's 11-1 drubbing of Mt. Si. Redmond came into the season as the top ranked team in the Northwest Region, 36th in the nation.

The top ranked prospect in the state, Dylan Davis had a big game. In addition to homering in his first 2 ABs of the season, Davis earned the win with 4 innings of work, allowing just an unearned run.

Utah: Spanish Fork opens in impressive fashion >>

3/15/2011 12:17:07 PM

The Spanish Fork Dons opened up their title defense with a pair of blowout victories last week. Winners of two straight state championships, the Dons entered the season ranked #7 nationally in the PG Top 50. Two games into the season they've outscored their opponents 19-1. Including a 15-0 victory over Layton on Friday.

Jr. Hayden Nielsen pitched well to get the win in the season opener, striking out 8 over 4 scoreless innings of work. The top ranked player in the state, Kayden Porter homered in the 15-run affair on Friday after allowing the Dons only run of the season (unearned) during a 3-inning relief stint of the season opener. Spanish Fork will take on Bingham this afternoon.

California: St. Francis is for real >>

3/12/2011 4:55:39 PM

The fourth ranked team in the nation, St. Francis (Mountain View), faced their biggest test of the young season last night. The matchup against Bishop O'Dowd ace Joe Ross would have been a tough draw for anyone. But St. Francis proved they belong in the conversation for best team in America by beating O'Dowd 3-0.

Reports are that Ross pitched very well, but St. Francis came through with big hits in key spots. 3B Tyler Goeddel went 2-for-3 with a double for the Lancers. There was a very large turnout of scouts at the game and though Ross was the hard luck loser, the UCLA commit likely helped his draft stock.

Oklahoma: Bradley, Hope combine on no-no >>

3/12/2011 2:50:29 PM

#3 Broken Arrow used its top two pitchers, Archie Bradley and Mason Hope, to combine on a 13 strikeout no-hitter. The Tigers moved to 5-0 by dominating Jenks 8-0.

Bradley got the start and struck out 7 over his 4 innings of works (including 5 of the first 6). Bradley has 10 innings of 1-hit baseball under his belt thus far, with 19 strikeouts. The Tigers now travel to Florida to play in the Blue Devil Classic beginning on Monday.

North Carolina: Rookie dominates >>

3/12/2011 2:32:10 PM

RHP/1B Rookie Davis is off to a very impressive start to the 2011 season. Opponents understandably seem to want no part of him at the plate, as he has walked in half of his plate appearances (28 PA, 14 BB) this year. He has 3 HRs in 14 ABs thus far. But many like him more as a pitcher, and his performance last night shows why.

Davis threw a no-hitter against Topsail in a 2-0 win. An area scout who saw the outing says that Davis' fastball sat 91-93 MPH last night. He has been up to 94 at last year's East Coast Pro Showcase, and 92 at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter.

Bundy, Owass (OK) dominate Winterhaven (FL) >>

3/12/2011 2:18:56 PM

The 6th ranked Owasso Rams (Owasso, OK) are spending their spring break in Florida. But they clearly meant business against Winterhaven last night with a 7-0 win. RHP Dylan Bundy struck out 14 (2 BBs), throwing a no-hitter. His 2011 season totals are now: 12 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 27 K, 2 BB.

Bundy's fastball reportedly dipped below 94 MPH just once, sitting 94-96 consistently throughout his dominant outing. C Drew Stiner went 2-for-3 with 4 RBIs. The 3-0 Rams will take on Lake Wales tonight.

Louisiana: Catholic-Northshore features top arms >>

3/11/2011 4:02:37 PM

Chris Eades of Northshore will look to slow down 7-1 Baton Rouge Catholic (no. 14 in nation) tomorrow. He will be opposed by a pair of highly regarded pitching prospects; Alex Massey and Aaron Nola.

Nola and Eades are both committed to LSU, while Massey will be playing his college ball at Tulane. Check back for a recap this weekend.

Mississippi: Buchanan/Robbins Square Off >>

3/11/2011 2:21:11 PM

Two of the top 2011 prospects in Mississippi squared off as Biloxi took on George County. Biloxi won the game 8-3 as RHP Hawtin Buchanan struck out 8, including George County star LHP/OF Mason Robbins twice. Buchanan worked 90-94 with his fastball and also starred at the plate by crushing a home run.

Robbins, a Southern Miss commit, is a strong athlete and two way player, running a 6.77 60-yard dash and showing a balanced hitting approach with pop. He is currently ranked 3rd in the state and 126th nationally.

Buchanan uses his 6'8 240 lb frame to throw downhill with good extension. He has good command of his low to mid 90s fastball, and is currently ranked 2nd in the state, 73rd nationally.

Buchanan has been compared at the same age with Anthony Ranaudo, the former St. Rose (NJ) HS, and LSU star. Ranaudo has the same workhorse build at 6'7, 230 and was one of the 2010 draft's top prospects heading into the season. He fell to the 39th pick after he was set back with injuries during the season, signing with the Red Sox for $2.55 M.

California: Huge matchup in NorCal tonight >>

3/11/2011 12:51:53 PM

4th ranked St. Francis (Mountain View) will face a big test tonight when they face Bishop O'Dowd ace Joe Ross. Ross, the younger brother of Oakland A's pitcher Tyson Ross, is the 10th ranked player in California and he will look to get the Dragons back on track after a loss and a tie in their last two contests. Joe was the hard luck loser in his first start, allowing just one earned run over 6 innings against Acalanes.

Not surprisingly, St. Francis is off to a 6-0 start, but they will have a tough time remaining undefeated facing an ace like Ross. The Lancers feature arguably the best infield in the nation with seniors 3B Tyler Goeddel, 1B George Saba, and SS Alex Blandino, all committed to play for big time division 1 colleges next year. They also feature the 31st ranked junior in the country, OF/3B Steven Golden. Expect plenty of scouts to be on hand for this one.

Arizona: Salpointe splits pair in Phoenix >>

3/10/2011 11:53:52 AM

Salpointe Catholic is generally considered to be the top team in southern Arizona this season. Their dominant performance in the Cowboy Up Invitational reinforced that perception. Over the past two days the Lancers hit the road, traveling to the Phoenix are to take on Mesa and Chandler. Salpointe bounced back after dropping the first contest with a 13-4 win over Chandler last night.

The 7-1 Lancers will get a real good test to see how they stack up with top level Phoenix area competition when they travel to Brophy Prep on March 23.

Florida: Palm Beach Update >>

3/10/2011 10:02:57 AM

-Boca Raton OF Dominic Jose hit two home runs in a 6-2 win over Seminole Ridge.

-Palm Beach Gardens suffered its first loss, dropping a 6-2 game to Palm Beach Central. Mitch Blakeney pitched a four-hitter as PBC moved to 8-2 on the year. CF Gage Morey and LF John Magner each had two hits. PBC snapped another school's unbeaten streak over the weekend beating West Boca.

-Jupiter beat Santaluces 4-0 with Calvin Greener throwing a four hit shutout, beating RHP Kyle Smith.

-Archbishop McCarthy cruised to another win, beating Olympic Heights 11-1.

-Brian Bussell threw a no hitter as Park Vista crushed Royal Palm Beach 14-0.

California: DeJong to face #5 Edison >>

3/10/2011 9:49:38 AM

Wilson RHP Chase DeJong will provide a tough early season test for the 5th ranked team in the nation, Edison (Huntington Beach) in the semi-finals of the Loara Tournament tonight. DeJong will make his second start of the season for the Bruins, throwing a complete game 2-hit shutout against Marina in the tournament opener. Edison will not counter with their ace, Henry Owens, who pitched in relief on Tuesday. Jonathan Torres will start for Edison tonight.

The other semi-final matchup will feature Vista Murrieta and Lakewood in the early game (3:00) at Glover Stadium in Anaheim. The winners of the two games will face one another in the championship game on Saturday.

California: Stephenson Tosses 2nd No-No >>

3/9/2011 9:21:49 PM

Alhambra (Martinez, CA) RHP Robert Stephenson threw a no hitter with 12 strikeouts last week in his first start. Tonight, the righty threw his 2^ndno-hitter in a row. Fourteen innings into the 2011 season and Stephenson has yet to allow a hit. The righty now has 22 strikeouts with just 2 walks (3 HBP).

More importantly, he led the Bulldogs to a 9-0 win over De Anza, giving them a 4-0 start on the season. An impressive way to begin an encore for Stephenson’s 2010 season, which concluded with getting the start for the West team at the Aflac All-American game (also hitless).

Stephenson, who averaged the fourth hardest average Fastball velocity at the 2010 Area Code Games (93.7 MPH) spent the offseason on an intense workout regimen. Stephenson trained five days a week over the offseason. Two days working on stamina with a sprinter, and three days working on a throwing program designed to build arm strength.

But perhaps the biggest difference for Stephenson so far this season has been his command. Which his coach Jay Heeb says is in a league with any other California HS ace he’s seen, an impressive group that includes CC Sabathia and Heeb’s former player, Tyson Ross. Heeb also noted that Stephenson has shown improved his arm strength and overall strength. Stephenson also added a cutter to his repertoire, which is highlighted by a mid-upper 90’s Fastball.

The highest draft pick to ever come out of Alhambra High School was OF Rob Coultis, who was taken in the 6^th round in 1970. Stephenson has a chance to go very high in the 2011 draft with a breakout spring.

Oklahoma: Bundy, Owasso dominate, head to FL >>

3/9/2011 2:50:35 PM

RHP/IF Dylan Bundy turned in a dominant performance in his first start of the season. Bundy threw a complete game (5 innings due to run rule) with 13 strikeouts and not only didn't walk a batter but he also never got into a 3-ball count. He gave up one hit. Not a bad follow up to his 6 RBI performance at the plate as the Rams DH in the season opener.

The Rams moved to 2-0 on the year with the 24-0 blowout victory. IF Payton Allen had a pair of Home Runs to pace the offense, 1B Justin Steelmon added a Grand Slam.

The 6th ranked Owasso Rams will get a chance to face some good competition down in Florida this week. They face Winterhaven on Friday and Lake Wales on Saturday before the Blue Devil Classic on Monday. The Blue Devil Classic will also feature Broken Arrow, setting up a potential matchup between the two Oklahoma powers in the Championship game next Thursday.

Arizona: Pinnacle moves to 8-0 >>

3/9/2011 10:23:41 AM

The Pioneers just keep on winning. After winning the Cleats 101 Classic over the weekend Pinnacle was back in action yesterday, posting a convincing 12-3 victory over Valley Vista. Steve Casey picked up the win, going 5 innings, allowing 1 earned run while striking out 6. Casey also went 3-for-4 with a Home Run and a double.

Pinnacle will look to stay perfect on Thursday as they take on La Joya Community, who is on a 3-game winning streak.

California: Easton SoCal Showdown Update >>

3/9/2011 10:06:13 AM

The 2011 Easton Southern California Showdown is down to its final four. The 32 team team field with plenty of talent will continue tomorrow afternoon with a pair of excellent matchups. There will be a lot of buzz around the matchup between nationally ranked teams Chaminade Prep (no. 20) and Valencia (no. 38).

Chaminade's pitching staff has carried the Eagles thus far, coming off a 1-0 victory over Westlake Village. Something will have to give as they face one of the top lineups in the state in Valencia, which boasts sluggers Quincy Quintero and Trey Williams.

In the other semi, Hart will take on Chatsworth. An exciting young player to watch in this matchup is Hart Sophomore SS Luke Persico, who is 8-for-11 on the season and is coming off a monster game against Thousand Oaks. 5 of Persico's 8 hits have gone for extras bases. Chatsworth is led by OF/LHP Aaron Brown (Pepperdine commit) who is an excellent 2-way player and currently ranked as the 105th in the nation. OF/RHP Steven Karkenney is another player to watch for Chatsworth, he hit .425 with 22 RBIs and posted a 5-1 record with a 1.63 ERA last year as a junior.

Florida: Olympia vs. Montverde Report >>

3/8/2011 4:46:11 PM

Olympia beat Monteverde 14-2 but the real story was prospects Francisco Lindor and top 2012s Walker Weickel, Jesse Winker, and Connor Lien. Here is a PG Scout's report from the big matchup:

Lindor’s Day
After an infield/outfield session where Lindor showcased his exceptional defensive abilities, including polished footwook, fluid actions, and plus throwing arm, he lead off the game against the 6’6, 200 lb Weickel with a strikeout. After working the count to 2-2, Lindor expanded the zone and swung at an elevated 92 mph fastball. In his final two ABs, Lindor was able to work a walk as well as record a single through the right side of the infield. As chronicled by many, Lindor is a tightly wound athlete whose tools play across the board. Lindor is noticeably stronger than he was in the fall where he starred for the FTB Mizuno/Cardinals Scout team in Jupiter. He did nothing in this look to hurt his lofty draft expectations and looked every part of a first round talent. Something that is often overlooked is Lindor’s passion for the game. Lindor is a leader, both vocally and by example. Olympia routed Montverde 14-2, however one would never be able to tell by Lindor’s demeanor that his team had such a tough time on the field. Lindor is a winner in all aspects and will only get better as time goes on.

Weickel’s Outing

Walker Weickel is what scouts often dream of in a pitching prospect. He oozes projection at 6’6, 200 lbs and his athleticism is off the charts. (Weickel has been recorded as low as 6.47 in the 60) In this look, Weickel ran his fastball in the 88-92 range touching 93. His fastball was heavy with arm side run and he was able to dominate the overmatched Montverde hitters with it. Weickel’s offspeed offerings are still a work in progress, but show promise. It looked like Weickel threw a few cut fastballs with late life that may end becoming an out pitch down the line. In the past, he has shown good feel for his changeup and a developing breaking ball. Weickel is extremely competitive and this showed during his outing today. Weickel’s body and fastball alone place him at the top of the 2012 high school pitching crop, and it will be interesting to follow the development of his offspeed pitches over the next 15 months leading up to the 2012 Draft. Weickel ended up with 6 strikeouts over 4 innings, earning the win for Olympia.

Jesse Winker

Olympia HS 2012 Outfielder Jesse Winker has established himself as one of the premier lefthanded bats in the 2012 High School crop at an early stage, and this look gave an opportunity for Winker to showcase his patience at the plate. Hitting out of the 3rd spot in the Olympia lineup, Winker was 0-1 with three BBs. I have had the opportunity to see Olympia play 4 or 5 times this season, and the book is out on Winker. To say that he is being pitched around would be an understatement. Winker is strongly built at 6’3, 200 lbs and looks like he has added substantial strength in his core and bottom half since the fall. He is a “professional” hitter, who hits from a high hand start and creates exceptional bat speed and torque in his left handed swing. Winker will have a busy summer ahead where he will be able to showcase his abilities, but getting good looks at him during a high school game will be far and few between.
As an added bonus, Winker got on the mound for Olympia in the 5th inning and topped out at 90 mph from the left-side.

Connor Lien

Olympia HS 2012 Outfielder Connor Lien was the star of the game for Olympia. Lien is an extremely well proportioned 6’3, 205 lb outfielder who showcased power and speed at the plate. Leading off for Olympia, Lien took the first pitch he saw and deposited it over the left-center field fence with ease. In his second AB, Lien put down a perfect drag bunt down the third base line for a base hit. I (and several scouts in the area) had Lien at a 3.67 home to first. Pretty impressive for a kid of Lien’s size. In his final AB, Lien lined a single to right field, finishing 3-3 with 3 runs scored. Lien is a bit raw, and hits from spread stance and has a slight hitch in his trigger. His combination of tools however will pique the interest of the scouting community. Lien is a QB/WR for Olympia’s football team and one can only imagine how much better he would be at baseball if he were to concentrate 100% of his efforts on the game. He is an early verbal to UCF.

Florida: Lindor faces Top 2012 Arm >>

3/7/2011 3:46:36 PM

Scouts on hand to watch Montverde Academy SS Francisco Lindor, will also get a look at two of the top draft prospects in the 2012 class. Olympia features RHP Walker Weickel and OF Jesse Winker, ranked #10 and #16 in the 2012 class. Lindor has not disappointed this year and is positioning himself to be the first high school bat of the board, he will get competition from outfielders Bubba Starling and Josh Bell. Lindor has shown more power this year and has added strength.

Weickel is a big, strong 6'6 pitcher who throws on a plus downhill plane. His fastball has been up to 93 and he is also a very good athlete (6.78 60) which allows him to repeat his delivery. He also would be a top prospect as a power hitting outfielder, but his future is on the mound as he could be one of the first high school arms off the board in 2012.

Winker is a smooth swinging left-handed outfielder with lots of power, quick hands and the ability to go the other way. He projects as a power hitting corner outfielder and has shown 90 mph arm strength from the outfield.

California: Giolito dominates in first start >>

3/5/2011 5:31:30 PM

Harvard Westlake RHP Lucas Giolito fired a complete game 3-hit shutout of Calabasas in his first regular season start of the season yesterday. The Wolverines didn't do much at the plate, but the run (on just 3 hits) they did they score was enough for their ace.

Giolito is the 5th ranked player in the class of 2012 and is armed with a mid-90's Fastball and a tall athletic frame. Expect plenty more dominating performances from him this year.

New Mexico: Bregman starts season with a bang >>

3/4/2011 12:20:37 PM

2012 SS Alex Bregman (LSU commit) couldn't have gotten his 2011 campaign off to a better start. After leading Team USA to gold at the COPABE 16U Pan American Baseball Championship last season, expectations for 2011 are very high. The pressure didn't seem to get to him though, as Bregman crushed a 3-run Home Run to center in his first at bat of the season as Albuquerque Academy pummeled Valley 13-1.

The Chargers racked up 13 hits, a good sign for a team whose biggest question mark entering the season was how much protection Bregman would have in the lineup. The pitching staff is expected to be a strength for this team and if they can continue to pile up runs like they did on opening day, it is not entirely out of the question that they challenge La Cueva as the top team in New Mexico--though that will be a tall order.

Florida: Glorius Ties National HR/RBI Records >>

3/4/2011 9:18:21 AM

Windermere Prep pounded Faith Christian 38-0 last night, as 1B Austin Glorius tied national records with 5 HRs and 17 RBI. He became the 5th player to hit five homers in a game, the last happening in 2009. He homered in all five innings; a three run homer in the first, a grand slam in the second and third, and two-run homers in the 4th and 5th. He also added a two run double in the second.

Glorius tied the national RBI record set by Nathan Williams, from Georgia, in 1948. Glorius would have had the record all to himself but a runner was called out for not touching a base on his 5th inning home run.

Georgia: Top Prospect Matthews Dominates >>

3/4/2011 7:48:56 AM

LHP Kevin Matthews, ranked #32 in the class of 2011 has dominated the Savannah, GA area in the early season, putting his name among the top LHPs in the class. The Virginia commit struck out 12 in five innings in his first start of the season. His fastball sat 91-95 and he added a 85 mph slider.

California: Stephenson fires no-no >>

3/3/2011 1:56:55 PM

All-American RHP Robert Stephenson (Washington commit) had a brilliant performance on Tuesday against Encinal to move the Alhambra Bulldogs to 2-0 on the year. The 6 runs of support were far more than enough. Stephenson struck out 12 in a no-hit performance, though he did hit 3 batters. The long loose righty reportedly sat in the low-mid 90s with his Fastball, getting as high as 95, which not at all unusual by his standards.

Stephenson got the start for the West team at the 2010 Aflac All-American game, sitting 93-95. He is currently ranked 9th in the nation by Perfect Game and #2 in the state of California, so no doubt he will draw a large crowd everytime he pitches. His next outing is expected to come in the Arcadia Elks tournament next week, likely on Wednesday. Check back next week for an update.

Florida: Boyd Throws Gem, Combines on No-No >>

3/3/2011 1:55:43 PM

Bishop Verot RHP Hudson Boyd has performed well at every PG event he has come to, always having command of a low-mid 90s fastball and a sharp downer curve ball. Boyd was dominant in his second start of the high school season last night against St. John Neumann (Naples) striking out 15 over six innings of work. He allowed no hits walking only one. Freshman Jeff Passatino struck out the side in the 7th to close out the combined no-hitter.

Boyd over matched Neumann's hitters from the start showing great command of the fastball and curveball, and showing very good feel for a changeup as well. So far this season Boyd's line is:

2-0 11 IP 0.64 ERA 2 H 3 BB 24 K

Bishop Verot 1B Daniel Vogelbach did not pick up a hit in the game (something that won't be said many times this year) going 0-2 with a walk. Vogelbach has been raking so far this season, as expected. His stats so far:

13 AB 6 H .462 AVG 1 2B 1 3B 4 HR 10 RBI 9 R 2 SB 7 BB 0 K 1.615 slugging percentage

Florida: Herrera Impresses in First Two Outings >>

3/3/2011 1:38:51 PM

RHP Jace Herrera pitched a complete game Wednesday picking up the a win over highly touted Olympia. Herrera, a Miami commit, gave up one run over 7 innings to lead Wekiva to a 7-0 start, the best in school history. Earlier in the week, Herrera pitched a complete game 4-hitter, walking one and striking out 9 in a 1-0 win over Ocoee. Herrera was clocked at 89 mph at the World Showcase in early January pounding the zone with a heavy fastball and two quality off speed pitches with a slider and changeup.

Arizona: Scottsdale Invitational title game set >>

3/3/2011 10:54:26 AM

In a loaded field with three defending champions and plenty of talent the finals are set for Saturday in the Scottsdale Invitational. 48th ranked Gilbert will host Mesquite at noon on Saturday.

Both teams are coming off losses to quality opponents on Monday, with Mesquite losing 9-7 to defending 4A I champion Saguaro and Gilbert falling to Chaparral. Both teams finished pool play at 3-1, as nobody escaped unscathed from this loaded field. Gilbert is without its ace Stephen Tarpley, who is out with a knee injury, making their early success all the more impressive. Tarpley is expected to return within the next few weeks to provide a major boost to the Tigers.

Other intriguing matchups that we will have our eye on include Horizon (#32) at Mountain Pointe. Each team comes in at 3-1 and look to be among the state's top teams in 5A. This game could have an impact on the National Top 50.

In a mtchup that features several very interesting players in the Real brothers (Alex and David) of Boulder Creek will face Kyle Young and Chris Akmon of Saguaro. Young has come out of the gate on fire, hitting .438 with 4 HRs and 11 RBI through 5 games.

The other matchups include Desert Mountain against Highland and Desert Ridge will face Chaparral.

California: Davis throws gem in Hazlett tourney >>

3/3/2011 10:23:08 AM

In semifinal action on Wednesday night 20th ranked Archbishop Mitty cruised to a 4-0 victory over Santa Clara. RHP Tyler Davis threw a complete game, 1-hit shutout for the Monarchs on just 72 pitches. Davis struck out 6 and walked one, looking real sharp. The win advances Mitty into the title game on Saturday, where RHP Brett Fuller will get the start.

The winner of tonight's Wilcox-Santa Cruz game will face Fuller and the Monarchs in the championship. Santa Cruz knocked off San Benito 3-2 on Tuesday to advance, while Wilcox shut out Santa Clara 6-0 on Tuesday.

Arizona: 4A preseason favorites square off >>

3/2/2011 5:48:40 PM

Sunrise Mountain entered the 2011 season ranked #2 in 4A Division I by the Arizona Baseball Coaches Association. They wasted no time in making a statement in knocking off Notre Dame Prep (ranked #1 in 4A Division II) on the road. In what is arguably the most exciting game in Arizona's young season it took 10 innings for the Mustangs to come away with the victory.

LHP Tyler Crawford (Arizona commit) picked up the win with 5 scoreless innings of relief and drove in the winning run in the 10th. Starter Aaron Bummer (Nebraska commit) racked up 8 Ks while walking just one in his 5 innings of work in addition to an RBI double.

Notre Dame righty Taylor Scott pitched well in a no-decision. He scattered 4 hits over 7 innings while striking out 4 and walking just one.

Notre Dame falls to 2-2 with the loss. Sunrise Mountain comes home to face Apollo tomorrow at 4:00.

Arizona: Pinnacle improves to 4-0 >>

3/2/2011 4:38:15 PM

Pinnacle is a team that got some consideration for the preseason rankings, and they continue to make a case that they should have been included with a 6-1 win over Goldwater yesterday.

RHP Steve Casey (2-0) pitched well for the Pioneers, allowing just 3 hits over 6 innings with 7 strikeouts. OF/LHP Jake Peevyhouse (Arizona State commit) closed out the 7th. Rudy Bogojevich was 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and scored 3 times, while Kris Ayers was 2-for-3 with the other 2 RBI.

The Patriots hit the road to take on Millenium this afternoon and will play in the Cleats 101 Classic this weekend.

Texas: Weekend tourney previews >>

3/2/2011 3:41:11 PM

Several high profile teams from the state of Texas will be in action at tournaments throughout the state starting tomorrow. Here is a look at a few of them:

52nd Annual Ewell Jackson Tournament (Houston)
An impressive 32 team field played at seven different schools throughout the Houston area.

The field is highlighted by several very strong teams. Traditional powerhouse Bellaire is always a contender and are led by LHP Toller Boardman (Texas commit) and scouts will be keeping an eye on sophomore Cameron Miller over the next couple of years.

Defending TAPPS state champ St. Thomas Catholic comes in at 6-0 and feature a strong core of players in SS/RHP Patrick Leonard (Georgia commit), C Hunter Kopycinski and 2B/OF Conor Biggio (Notre Dame commit, son of head coach Craig).

Fort Bend Clements is also a very interesting team to watch in this tournament, as they began the season ranked #2 in the state for 5A by THSBCA and are coming off a championship in last week's Pearland Tournament and sit at 5-0.

2009 state champion St. Pius X are coming off a sweep of the Anglewood tournament last week and enter the tournament undefeated.

Check back for updates throughout the tournament.

Miras Tournament (Corpus Christi)
Sixteen team field is highlighted by defending 5A state champion Carroll. The Tigers will be one of four host schools and are in Bracket 2. Arguably their top competition in the bracket is Robstown, who was ranked #3 in class 3A by the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association (THSBCA) preseason poll. The Cotton Pickers are led by LHP Mike Velasquez, a Texas A&M Corpus Christi commit who went 9-2 last year while also batting .440.

Moody (Corpus Christi) will host Bracket 1. The Trojans will look to get back on track after a very disappointing start to the season. Moody was ranked #3 in the state in 4A by the THSBCA, so a 1-3 comes as something of a surprise. Sinton looks like they may be the favorites in the bracket at 5-1-1, with their only loss coming to perennial power Calallen in the season opener.

An interesting team to watch in Bracket 3 is Sharyland. The Rattlers were not really on the radar as one of the top teams in the state, but the start they've had thus far may change all that. Now sitting at 6-0, they've allowed 1 run or less in 4 of their games and the two closest games they've played thus far are their 11-8 win over Calallen and a 6-0 victory in the opener against Weslaco. This tournament will be a good opportunity for them to prove they are for real.

2011 Burleson Classic
The big name in this tournament is Rockwall Heath. The Hawks started the year ranked 31st in the PG National Top 50 and have a chance to climb higher with a strong performance this weekend. At 4-0 (combined score of 28-4) things have been going well and perhaps the biggest negative for this powerhouse is that junior Jovan Hernandez's record tying hit streak came to an end at 42 games last week.

Host Burleson looked to be Heath's top competition in this event heading into the season, but after being ranked #10 in the 4A preseason coaches poll the Elks have stumbled to a 2-3 start. They'll get a crack at Heath on Friday and an upset could prove to be a huge momentum boost to get their season back on track.

The Joshua Owls will look to ride their early season momentum into the tournament, at 7-0 things have gone well thus far. They'll open the tournament against undefeated Watherford. The Kangaroos have had a monster start from SS Kevin Cornelius (TCU commit) who already has 4 HRs and 17 RBIs and 2-way contributer Collin Sefcik (3 HRs, 1.40 ERA). San Angelo Central's lone slipup, a 5-4 loss at Reagan is all that stands between them and an undefeated start as well.

California: Recapping Monday >>

3/1/2011 11:26:52 AM

Mike Hazlett Tournament update
Archbishop Mitty won their tourney opener against Palo Alto 7-3. Preston Caldera broke it open in the 6th inning with an RBI double and came around to score, extending the Monarchs lead to 7-0. Palo Alto managed to scrape together 3 runs against Mitty's bullpen but it wasn't enough. Starter Jerry Sumagit earned the win, scattering 3 hits over 5 innings and issuing just one walk. Mitty will face game 1 winner, Wilcox tomorrow night. The Monarchs will send ace RHP Tyler Davis (Washington commit) to the hill. Davis threw 6 shutout innings in a scrimmage on Thursday and reportedly looked sharp.

In the tourney opener, regional power Wilcox knocked off Monterey 3-1. LHP Nick Morehead threw a complete game with 10 strikeouts for the Chargers. Wilcox and Mitty will face off in the second round tomorrow night at 7:30.

Today's action features San Benito against Santa Cruz at 4:30. That game will be followed by Santa Clara and tournament host, Wilcox.

Valencia-Harvard Westlake
In his final tune-up before Friday's regular season opener against Calabasas RHP Lucas Giolito worked a 1, 2, 3 first inning against Valencia. Giolito finished off his inning with a strike out looking to Valencia's Trey Williams.

Valencia went on to win 5-3. Pepperdine commit Quincey Quintero had a double, a Home Run and nailed down the save for the Vikings. Shane Zeile added home run as well.

Freshman CF Jack Flaherty showed a lot of promise with a HR and a double in his first high school game. He will be one to watch over the next few years.

For video of Giolito facing Williams and Flaherty's double click here (via Eric Sondheimer, LA Times).

Louisiana: Stephen Richardson Tournament Records >>

3/1/2011 10:08:55 AM

Walker                    4-0
Hahnville                 4-0
Catholic                   3-1
Parkview Baptist       3-1
Airline                     3-1
Destrehan                3-1
St. Amant               3-1
Holy Cross               3-1
Rummel                  3-1
Zachary                  3-1
Ruston                    2-2
Dutchtown               2-2
Byrd                       2-2
Central                   2-2
East Ascension         2-2
Barbe                     2-2
West Monroe           1-3
Ouachita                 1-3
Live Oak                 1-3
Sam Houston           1-3
Ponchatoula             1-3
Thibodaux               1-3
South Terrebonne     0-4
New Iberia              0-4
Neville                    0-4

Louisiana: Weekend Wrap-Up >>

3/1/2011 7:47:44 AM

-In late Friday night action, Catholic continued a very strong tournament with a 10-0 victory over Ponchatoula. RHP Kevin Lindsey threw all 5 innings to pick up the victory.

-Hahnville beat Parkview 10-2 Saturday afternoon. Parkview starter Russell Reynolds topped out at 94 but left the game with a 3-1 deficit. Hahnville added on after Reynolds left the game to cruise to a victory. Reynolds ranged 89-92 with his fastball.

-Barbe SS Gavin Cecchini continued his hot hitting with a solo homerun in Barbe’s 10-4victory over Byrd. His homer flew over the 375 ft sign in the LF power alley.Byrd C Peter Pizzaro hit two 2-run homers to lead the offense.

-Destrehan earned a wild walk-off victory as they beat Evan Powelland Sam Houston 11-10

-In the biggest matchup of the day, Barbe traveled to Parkview to take on the Parkview Eagles. Parkview starter LHP Colin Rodgers (Auburn commit) was greeted by Gavin Cechini to lead off thegame. Cecchini picked up where he had left off earlier in the day, hitting a solo home run to give Barbe an early 1-0 lead. Barbe looked to be in control as they tallied single runs in the first four innings, but Parkview came roaring back with two runs in the 4^th, four in the 5^th, and an insurance run in the 6^th to earn a 7-4 victory.

The Parkview offense was paced by Beau Brignac (1-2 with a walk) and Evan Richard (1-2, 2B, 3 RBI). Rodgers went 3 2/3 innings, giving up 5 hits, 4 runs, and striking out 4. RHP Michael Mentzer, picked up his 2^nd win the three days with 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, allowing only one hit. Cecchini ended the day 3-3 with 3 RBI and was intentionally walked in his last AB.

Only the second ever matchup between the two teams, Barbe beat Parkview 3-0 in 2003 as future MLB’er Wade LeBlanc pitched them to a victory.

-Catholic picked up another easy victory Saturday to end their tournament. They beat Byrd 10-0 as RHP Alex Massey pitched a shutout and was 87-92 with his fastball.

-East Ascension picked up a 7-4 win over Thibadaux, OF Chase Rivett hit an inside the park HR and a single. 2013 RHP Tyler Robertson threw for the first time this year, picking up the save over three innings of work and topping out at 84. His control seemed to be in mid-season form as 22 of his 28 pitches were strikes.

-2013 1B Devin Speligene went 2-3 with a walk and 4 RBI to lead East Ascension to a 8-6 win over Monroe Neville. The 6’4, 225 pounder has strength and also is a low 7s runner, and a prospect to watch. 2012 3B ChrisSanchez, a returning all district member from a year ago added an RBI, and has received offers from Division 1 schools.

-In other Louisiana news LSU commit Tyler Moore had a big weekend going 2-2 with 2 HRs and 5 RBI on Friday night, and following it up with a 3-4 performance with a double on Saturday.

-INF Seth Stevens continues to impress early in the season. He hit for the cycle Monday night, going 5-5 with 8 RBI. With his early season performance he has put himself on the map as one of the top underclassmen in the state.

California: Hazlett tournament starts today >>

2/28/2011 2:31:05 PM

Games 1 and 2 of the Mike Hazlett tournament get underway this evening in northern California. Wilcox takes on Monterey at 4:30 and Palo Alto takes on Archbishop Mitty (No. 20 in PG National Top 50) at 7:30. Tomorrow will see opening round games between San Benito and Santa Cruz as well as Santa Clara vs Wilcox. Check back for updates throughout the tournament.

The tournament has run every year since 1982 and was formerly known as the Mom's, Dad's and Grad's Tournament. Archbishop Mitty has won the tournament a record seven times and appear to be the favorite in this year's field (on paper, anyway).

California: Giolito to face Valencia >>

2/28/2011 11:10:55 AM

In a makeup of a game that was rained out on Saturday, Harvard Westlake will travel to Valencia (ranked 41st in the nation) this afternoon. 2012 RHP Lucas Giolito will get the start for Harvard Westlake, though he will be limited to just one inning in his first outting of the season.

Giolito, a 6' 6" 220 pound righty is the 5th ranked player in the class of 2012 nationally. Armed with a Fastball that has been clocked at 96 MPH at the 2010 Area Code Games, Giolito is the 2nd ranked pitcher in his class and 2nd ranked player in California. The lone California player ranked ahead of him is Valencia's Trey Williams. The righty-righty showdown between the two this afternoon is the kind of matchup MLB Scouting Directors dream about. You can be sure there will be a large crowd of scouts on hand to witness it.

Mississippi: Petal vs. Sumrall >>

2/26/2011 1:21:04 PM

Saturday’s Sumrall vs. Petal matchup is a very early look at the top two teams in Mississippi and two teams that look to be a part of the Perfect Game Top 50 throughout the year. Sumrall, coming off a 3^rd consecutive 3A state title, ended the year ranked number one in Mississippi high school polls with Petal, fresh off a 6A title of its own, ended the year #2.

Sumrall made national headlines with a win streak that reached 67 games before ending eight shy of the national record. The team ended the year 36-1, but lost seniors SS Chase Lewallen (Mississippi State) and IF/RHP Jackson Posey (Southern Miss).

The team has a ton of experience coming back led by Southern Miss commits SS Connor Barron and LHP Luke Lowery. Lowry will get the start Saturday vs. Petal. Another Sumrall player who looks to contribute in 2011 in RHP/IF Brandon Pennington, a transfer from Northwest Rankin.

Both teams have suffered unexpected setbacks in the early season. Petal lost OF Anthony Alford to a football injury and he will not play this weekend. There is a chance he will be healthy for the March 26^th re-matchup.

Alford is one of the best athletes in the state and is ranked #44 nationally in the 2012 class.

Petal RHP/1B Brandon Smith, also recovering from a football injury, while play Saturday after his status was in doubt leading up to the game.

Sumrall’s setback came on the field as they lost Friday night 5-2 to Forest County Ag in a game in which they only allowed two hits, both of which were home runs. Sumrall hurt themselves by committing 5 errors on the day.

Sumrall looks to clean up those errors as well as adding the timely hitting that escaped them Friday night.

Petal, who beat Forest County Ag 3-1 early Saturday, will throw big RHP Cody Conkle.

Alabama: Oxford Tournament Saturday Preview >>

2/26/2011 12:01:54 PM

-In what looks to be the biggest matchup of the tournament Oxford and its talented 2012 class take on defending 6A champion Auburn at Jacksonville State. Oxford looks to start RHP Tucker Simpson. Simpson is the #1 ranked player in Alabama’s 2012 class and is ranked #37 nationally. PG has clocked his fastball up to 91 and scouts have seen him up to 94 this spring. He has a big, strong, workhorse build and also features a sharp breaking curveball and good arm speed on an 81 mph changeup.

-Oxford will start RHP Jackson Stephens in its 1 pm game vs. Russell County, and RHP Zach Lovvorn in the 4 pm game against Clay Chalkville.

-All four games played at Jacksonville State look to be great matchups. Following the Oxford/Auburn opener.

1 pm Hartselle vs. Clay Chalkville

4 pm Cullman vs. Ragland

7 pm Spain Park vs. Carrolton, GA (the tournaments only out of state team)

-Other top matchups on the day:

930 am Russell County/Cullman

7 pm Russell County/Hartselle

930 am Pell City/Spain Park

1 pm Cullman/Auburn

Pell City projected starters for the day are Jody Cash, Blake Fulller, and Cole Billingsley.

Alabama: Oxford Tournament-Friday Recap >>

2/26/2011 11:25:59 AM

-Oxford started off their weekend with two win on Friday. In a 10-7 win over Hewitt Trussville, Joe McGuire received the victory throwing five innings and striking out 6. 3B Jackson Stephens homered and OF Matthew Goodson continued a very hot start with a double and three RBI.

-Oxford picked up another win in the night game beating Oak Mountain 3-1. RHP Frazier Taylor threw 5 1/3 innings and stuck out ten allowing only one hit. 1B Tucker Simpson had a two-run double to lead the offensive attack.

-Russell County picked up a pair of wins Friday, beating Thompson 4-3 and Etowah 20-11.

-Boaz won both of their games as well with a 14-3 win over White Plains and an 11-0 victory over Hewitt.

-Pell City beat Oak Mountain 6-5. LHP Locke St. John homered to help his own cause and threw well. He is committed to Southern Union State CC.

Louisiana: Stephen Richardson Tournament Friday Recap >>

2/26/2011 10:53:56 AM

-Gavin Cecchni was once again the star in Barbe’s 8-4 victory over Sam Houston. The 2012 SS singled in the first, then added a opposite field home run and a triple. Cecchini is the 20^th ranked player in the class of 2012 and has yet to make a verbal college commitment.

-2B Jared Foster followed Cecchini’s home run with one of his own. Foster is also a touted QB prospect on the football field. Though he did not make his decision on football’s February 2 signing day, he reportedly has offers to play both sports. On the diamond, he is athletic, showing the arm strength that makes him a QB prospect as well as a very solid bat.

-Sam Houston C Evan Powell singled twice in a losing cause. Powell ran a 6.88 60 yard dash, popped a 1.92, and had a catcher velocity of 81 at the 2009 Junior National Showcase.

-Byrd beat Dutchtown 8-2 in the 7 pm game at Dutchtown HS. 2012 RHP Harrison Spruiell picked up the victory. Spruiell, who just started pitching in December, was 83-87 with his fastball. He has loose, whippy arm action and hit a couple of 90s on Thursday night in relief. He is a prospect to watch.

-IF Troy Lewis hit a two-run home run for Dutchtown. The 2012 grad is ranked #236 in the class and 8^th in the state.

-Catholic cruised to a 10-0 victory over Ponchatoula. RHP Kevin Lindsey threw all five innings, picking up the victory.

-SS/C Tyler Moore had a huge day for The Dunham School. He went 2-2 with two home runs and five RBI. Moore is committed to LSU and ranked #4 in the state.

-Ouachita picked up a 10-8 win over South Terrebonne. Garrett Douglas went 3-4 with a triple and 2 runs scored and Jason Johnson went 2-4 with 2 runs scored. Andrew Skerlong got the win on the mound.

-South Terrebonne was led on offense by Britt Pellegrin and Zachary Lebeouf each of whom homered and picked up two hits.

-Parkview moved to 2-0 on the season with a 9-3 win over South Terrebonne. RHP Jeremy Marshall threw six innings allowing only four hits and three runs while working 83-84 with his fastball.

-OF James Coats had two hits including a double, and OF Russell Reynolds had a double a walk and a home run. Jake Cloutare made two diving catches in CF to help Marshall.

-Matt Benoit had 2 hits including a double in a losing cause for South Terrebonne.

Florida: Big Orlando Area Matchup >>

2/25/2011 5:14:24 PM

A big match up in the state of Florida Friday night will be Orangewood Christian traveling to Winter Garden to take on West Orange.

Orangewood is the 2A favorite coming into the season, and is one of the best teams in the Orlando area. They are led by SS/RHP Dante Bichette Jr., a Georgia commit, a powerful right handed bat and pitcher. He has tons of raw power and strength, much like his father, and the ball jumps off his bat. Bichette is also one of Orangewood’s top pitchers, PG has seen his fastball up to 88.

Orangewood also features C AC Carter (Notre Dame commit), 2B Vicente Conde (Vanderbilt commit), and OF Christian Magno (Florida Southern commit). Their offense is also bolstered by 1B Tomas Nido, who transferred from the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy, and is ranked #230 in the 2012 class.

Friday night they will face the unenviable task of facing a pair of talented LHPs in Austin Gomber and Anthony Seise. Gomber, a 6’5 FAU commit, with a long projectable frame, a loose arm that works well, and has been up to 89 with his fastball. He also has good arm side fade on a 71 mph changeup.

Seise is another lanky lefty who projects very well. He has easy arm action and according to one scout, when he fills out he will be a 90 plus guy. He also features a splitter as his offspeed pitch.

West Orange also features OF Austin Bousfield (Ole Miss commit), 3B Noah Pierce (Air Force commit), and 2013 grad OF/RHP Alan Archer, who has already committed to Central Florida.

Alabama: Oxford Tournament Preview >>

2/25/2011 3:12:53 PM

Some of the top teams in Alabama will travel to the Oxford/Jacksonville area this weekend for a tournament sure to draw a number of scouts and also sort out the some questions about who the best teams and major contenders for the state title are.

10 games will take place Friday across 6 high school fields as well as Jacksonville State University. Saturday is the big day with 20 games being played including a number of huge matchups.

15 players playing in the tournament are ranked in the top 500 of their respective classes and six of the teams (Russell County, Oxford, Auburn,Cullman, and Spain Park) are some of the top teams in the state and look to contend for state titles.

Stay tuned all weekend for coverage.

Friday Preview

-Oxford starts off its tournament with a home doubleheadervs. Hewitt and Oak Mountain. Joe McGuire will start the first game with FrazierTaylor slated to throw the second.

-Oxford may have the most talented junior class in the statebehind RHP/1B Tucker Simpson, who will start Saturday, and OF Matthew Goodson and 3B Jackson Stephens, who were featured in last week’s Who’s Hot.

-Simpson’s younger brother Trent, a sophomore is also a top prospect.

-Oak Mountain features RHP Jake Hubbard, an Alabama commit, who PG has seen up to 90 with his fastball, and junior RHP/OF David Dahl, who has committed to Auburn, and has been up to 91 on mound.

-Oak Mountain will take on Pell City at 4 pm in another top matchup. Pell City is led by LHP Locke St. John, who will make the start against Oak Moutain, and OF Cole Billingsley, who is ranked #257 in the 2012 class.

-Boaz led by Alabama commit Kyle Overstreet takes on Hewitt Friday at 7 pm at Jacksonville State Univeristy.

-The state’s top LHP will be in attendance this weekend as Jonathan Keller, an Alabama commit, and Thompson HS play a 4 pm game vs. Russell County and a 7 pm game vs. Southside on Friday, and a doubleheader Saturday afternoon/night.

-Russell County has a deep and talented squad led by OF Tyler Andujar, MIF Brent Wuestney, and OF Marks Abernathy. After their opener vs. Thompson, they also play a 7 pm game atEtowah.

Check back for updates on those games as well as a look ahead to a big Saturday, including a 9:30 am matchup between Oxford and defending 6A champion Auburn.

Louisiana: Stephen Richardson Tournament Friday Preview >>

2/25/2011 2:06:51 PM

-Today's action is again headlined by Barbe, who looks to bounce back after a 3-2 loss yesterday to Catholic. RHP Sam Smith will get the start, he is a big, strong, athletic pitcher who has reached up to 88 with his fastball.

-He will face Sam Houston coming off a big offensive performance yesterday. Sam Houston is loaded with bats like C Evan Powell, SS Tyler Moore, and 1B Billy Sommers

-Byrd will start RHP Harrison Spruiell, a good athlete who runs a sub 7.00 60 yard dash as well as being up to 87 off the mound. Dutchtown will counter with RHP Jacob Williams

-Catholic is back is action, taking on Ponchatoula. RHP Kevin Lindsey will get the start. He is another projectable athlete with a good arm. The Catholic offense scored only three runs yesterday vs. Barbe, butis lead by SE Louisiana commit C Ryan Burns and LSU commit OF Chris Sciambra

Louisiana: Stephen Richardson Tournament Thursday Wrap-Up >>

2/25/2011 1:39:24 PM

Catholic 3 Barbe 2
-LHP Jacob Knox got the win, striking out 8 over 5 innings. He walked two and allowed two hits. Knox worked 82-85 with his fastball touching 86. He is aggressive on the mound and also features a very solid CH/CB mix.
-SS Gavin Cecchini impressed again with a 2-3 performance that included a single and a double. Cecchini has also added strength over the winter and is a top position player in the 2012 class. He is a 6.75 runner with clean, smooth actions at short, as well as advanced swing actions with more pop to come.
-Barbe may have the best young talent in the state. Six freshman are on the roster, four started Thursday. Two to watch are CF Trey Quinn and 3B Kennon Fontenot
-Another freshman, Bryce Jordan hit a home run to cut the Catholic lead to 3-2, but RHP Alex Massey came in for the save, working his fastball 89-92
-RHP Taylor Butler was 83-86 for Barbe

Zachary 9 Neville 3
-Zachary LHP Taylor Guilbeau was lights out, striking out 11 in 6 innings. He allowed three hits an one earned run, picking up the win. He worked 86-88, touching 89 with his fastball

Holy Cross 2 Dutchtown 1
-RHP Jacob Waguespack was 86-88, touching 89 five times. He is a 6'4 200 lb pitcher with clean mechanics, good arm action, and a chance for more velocity. He also has a good SL/CH combo and could emerge as one of the top pitchers in the state

Parkview 4 West Monroe 2

-RHP Will Bacon got the start for Parkview and was 85-86 with his fastball.

-RHP Michael Mentzer came in and threw three scoreless innings. His fastball was 81-82 and he added in a very good 72 mph curveball

-Parkview jumped out to a 2-0 lead until Ray Paul Schexnaer and Logan Murray hit back to back home runs to tie the game

-Evan Richard and Jack Cloutare hit back to back home runs in the bottom of the 6^th to give Parkview the win.

Other Notes
-Byrd RHP Matthew Sharp was 84-86 touching 87
-East Ascension OF Chase Rivett was 3-4 with a HR and two singles in a 9-7 loss to Ruston. He is a projectable athlete with a smooth, quick bat and power potential

-Sam Houston C Evan Powell looks the part, has strength and according to one scout is the best position prospect in the state

Arizona: Horizon bounces back with impressive win >>

2/25/2011 12:12:07 PM

On day 2 of the Scottsdale Invitational Tournament the defending 5A Division I Champions, Horizon bounced back after a season opening loss to Saguaro on Wednesday. After falling 9-3 to the defending 4A Division I Champions, the Huskies took on another defending champ, 5A Division II's reigning champs Desert Ridge.

This game featured a pair of interesting pitching prospects and drew a crowd of scouts. Horizon ace LHP Nick Valenza squared off with Desert Ridge's ace RHP Scott Hoffman. Hoffman went 18-0 with a 1.83 ERA in 2010 and enters the season as one of the top RHP prospects in the state. Valenza had some early trouble but worked his way out of it and wound up picking up the win. Horizon's offense managed to pile up 11 hits against formidable pitching, a positive sign for arguably the best lineup in Arizona (led by Jordan Dunatov).

Other Thursday scores from Scottsdale Invitational:

Boulder Creek 3, Chaparral 0
Mountain Pointe 8, Highland 4

Louisiana: Stephen Richardson Tournament late Thursday games >>

2/24/2011 5:23:26 PM

-Dutchtown will start 2012 RHP Jacob Waguespack in their 7:30 match vs. Holy Cross. Waguespack has a long, projectable frame and very good mechanics. His fastball has been clocked in the mid 80s and he has good break on a 12/6 curveball. Dutchtown also features talented underclassmen Troy Lewis, Mason Nickens, and Cole Stapler.

-Byrd will start 2012 RHP Matthew Sharp as they take on Central at Walker High School. Central features 2012 INF Seth Stevens, who has started the season with a bang, and was featured in our Who’s Hot.

-Another prospect to watch is 2011 Sam Houston catcher Evan Powell, an LSU commit ranked 184 in the 2011 class. Powell has shown a polished hitting approach and a strong swing, along with compact defensive actions with pop times around 1.90

Arizona: Cron leads Mountain Pointe past Chaparral >>

2/24/2011 5:03:25 PM

Baseball season has arrived in the desert, with several pre-season tournaments getting started yesterday. One big tournament we will keep an eye on very closely is the Scottsdale Invitational Tournament. Several of the state’s top teams will matchup this week and next.

In the tourney opener yesterday C Kevin Cron (TCU commit) of Mountain Pointe lived up to all of the pre-season hype, going 3-for-3 with 2 doubles, an RBI and a walk. After spending the first five innings behind the plate, Cron took the mound and nailed down a 2-inning save to preserve a 5-3 victory over a formidable Chaparral squad. One of Cron’s doubles was a deep fly ball of the CF fence off of LHP Nevin Wilson (Arkansas commit), who is a recent transfer from Florida.

Other opening day highlights from Scottsdale Invitational:

Defending 4A Division I champs Saguaro got their 2011 season off to a good start by knocking off the defending 5A Division II champions, Horizon, by a score of 9-3. Horizon will look to bounce back against another defending champ, 2010 5A Division I winner Desert Ridge this afternoon. This is a loaded field.

Another big matchup coming up this weekend is Mountain Pointe vs Gilbert on Saturday at noon.

Louisiana: Stephen Richardson Tournament early Thursday games >>

2/24/2011 4:09:21 PM

This year marks the 7^th annual Stephen Richardson Memorial Tournament, a three-day 28 team tournament in the Baton Rouge area featuring some of the top teams and players in the states.

The tournament is named for Richardson, was killed in a car crash returning home from watching parish rival Dutchtown win the Class 4A State Championship in 2004 in Lafayette. Stephen was a player on the East Ascension High School Spartan 5A State Championship Squad in 2003. His parents, Steve and Robin Richardson joined forces with then East Ascension head baseball coach Jamie Morgan and then-Dutchtown head baseball coach Mike Toups to start the tournament.

The tournament kicks off Thursday with 5 pm and 7:30 games at six different high schools while Zachary and Parkview only have a 6 pm game.

The biggest game Thursday pits defending 5A champion Baton RougeCatholic vs. Barbe. Barbe had three players selected in the 2010 Draft (Garin Cecchini-4^th round Red Sox, Kevin Berard-22^nd round Brewers, Hommy Rosado-11^th round Rockies-did not sign). They return a number of talented players including Cecchini’s younger brother Gavin, a top 2012 SS prospect.

Catholic is again the favorite in the state behind senior pitchers Aaron Nola (LSU commit) and Alex Massey (Tulane commit.)

Barbe will start 2012 RHP Taylor Butler in the 5 pm game at Catholic HS, and Catholic will counter with 2011 LHP Jacob Knox (SE Louisiana commit). Barbe has some of the top young talent in the state and might have up to four freshman in the starting lineup.

In the other top 5 pm matchup, Zachary will take on Neville at Zachary HS. Zachary will start 2011 LHP Taylor Guilbeau, an Alabama commit who PG has seen up to 88 mph. Neville features another SEC commit in catcher John Clay Reeves who has committed to Arkansas.

Check back for updates on these games as well as preview of the big 7:30 matchups.

Florida: Jose Fernandez >>

2/24/2011 3:09:27 PM

After a lights-out performance at the WWBA World Championship in October, in which he topped out at 97 and also showed a wicked curveball, RHP Jose Fernandez vaulted to #2 in the Perfect Game Class of 2011 rankings. He received more good news in November when he was granted a 5th year of eligibility by the FHSAA.

He has been awesome again this year, his debut was a 5 inning shutout. He struck out ten, walked one, and topped his fastball out at 98.

He will likely be one of the first high school pitchers drafted this June.

Florida: Early Look at Top Prospects >>

2/24/2011 2:46:44 PM

Here is a very early look at some of the top 2011, 2012, and 2013 prospects in the state of Florida. All stats are thru games Tuesday, February 24.

1B Keon Barnum (2012-Kings Lion HS –Tampa, FL) Through 3games, 6-8 with 1 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI.

3B Eric Neitzel (2012-Gulliver Prep – Miami, FL) Through 3games, 6-9 with 1 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI.

C Chris Chinea (2012-Gulliver Prep – Miami, FL) Through 3games, 4-7 with 2 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI.

C Brandon Sedell (2011-American Heritage HS-Miami, FL) through2 games, 3-8 with 2b, HR, and 4 BB.

SS Brandon Lopez (2012-American Heritage HS-Miami, FL) Thru 2games, 7-12 with 2 2b, and 2 HRs.

RHP Hudson Boyd (2011-Bishop Verot HS-Ft. Myers, FL) 2 App, 5IP, 9 K, 2 BB, 1 ER.

1B Dan Vogelbach (2011-Bishop Verot HS-Ft. Myers, FL) thru 2 games, 3-7, 2 HR, 5 RBI

RHP Jason Carmichael (2012-Mariner HS-Ft. Myers, FL) 4.1 IP, 4ER, 6 K, 1 BB

3B Alex Santana (2011-Mariner HS –Ft. Myers, FL) 3 games, 2-9,3B, 1 RBI

C Mario Amaral (2011-Reagan HS-Hialeah, FL) 6 games, 6-19, 2B,2 HR, 6 RBI

SS Casey Gibson (2011-Cypress Lake HS-Ft. Myers, FL) 4 games,6-11, 4 2b, 6 RBI, 7 RS

OF Chase Vogelbach (2012-Island Coast HS-Ft. Myers, FL) 4games, 6-12, 3b, HR, 3 RBI, 6 RS

C Chris Okey (2013-Eustis HS-Eustis, FL) 3 games, 5-11, 2 2b,4 RBI

LHP Alex Hagner (2013-Eustis HS-Eustis, FL) 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 8K, 3 BB, 4-9, 2b, 3b, 4 RS

SS Richie Martin (2012-Bloomingdale HS-Valrico, FL) 5-11, 2B, 2RBI, 5 RS

RHP Ben Joseph (2011-Buchholz HS-) 3 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 4 K, 4 BB,Win

Welcome to High School News and Notes >>

2/23/2011 3:26:00 PM

With the high school season now in full swing across the Sun Belt, our High School News and Notes will be the place to get updated information on top teams and prospects throughout the season.

Coming up this weekend: Big tournaments in Alabama and Louisiana, featuring a number of top prospects, Tournaments in the Austin and Houston area that will be heavily attended by scouts, and a number of big match-ups in Florida.

Check back for previews and updates on all these, as well as an early season Petal vs. Sumrall match-up that will give one team the leg up in the battle for best team in Mississippi.

For a full list of start dates, as well as 2010 champions and players to watch, check out our state by state preview.