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College  | Rankings | 4/19/2017

DII, NAIA, DIII rankings: Apr. 19

Photo: La Roche College Athletics




April 12 Rankings

Ranking teams is much like playing the stock market. Schools are studied and scrutinized in an effort to determine which teams are on the rise and who is prone for a collapse. Teams that are rising in the rankings are one’s to invest in. Clubs that are dropping are schools whose overall evaluations are fading and investors need to be wary of if they don’t want to lose on their investments.

Figuring out who’s hot and who’s not is fairly simple as anyone can look at box scores and read winning percentages, however, projecting how teams’ outcomes correlate to their potential and ability is where the rubber meets the road. The trick is evaluating teams and making educated guesses as to who would beat who if the teams were to meet face to face. Where teams have been is important, but where they’ll be is much more riveting.

Sticking with the stock market analogy, this week with each division a prediction is made of a school who’s stock is on the rise, one who’s fortunes are ripe to fall as well as a pair of conference rivals who are headed in opposite directions. Get your small school stockbroker on speed dial and check out the projections for each to make a killing in the market.

Rankings are based on games through Sunday, April 16.


NCAA Division II

BUY: Georgia College Bobcats
Georgia College has one of the hottest hitting teams despite playing a schedule chock full of competitiveness. As a team the Bobcats are batting a lofty .352, nearly 10 points higher than anyone else nationally and 20 points above anyone else in the Peach Belt Conference. With PBC home run leader Brandon Benson, who has mashed 18 balls over the wall, and Logan Mattix, who has popped another dozen himself, GC also is in the top five nationally in slugging percentage at .543. The Bobcats are one of the few teams that can also tout a road win over top-ranked Tampa.

Despite the ‘Cats’ offensive prowess, it’s hard to justify going all in quite yet on their chances for a deep postseason run. The staff ERA is 4.73, which even in the offensive happy PBC is a bit robust; it’s a full run and some change higher than conference mate North Georgia. In fact, the Bobcats have one pitcher who has started at least five games with a sub 5.00 mark. Nevertheless, they’ve gotten it done so far and don’t need to dominate as long as the high-octane offense continues to rack up runs.

SELL: Azusa Pacific Cougars
Last weekend the Cougars nearly doubled their loss total after losing three of four to Cal Baptist. While their 31-7 record remains the envy of nearly all, their lofty winning percentage has been built without a single victory over a ranked opponent. Their only pseudo-noteworthy win to date was a 13-3 victory over St. Cloud State back at a round robin invitational in early March. The Cougars complete their regular season with series against Point Loma, Concordia and Dixie State, who aside from the Lancers last week, are their three toughest opponents to date.

Statistically the Cougars look very good, and Pablo O’Connor is an absolute beast with his .428 batting average and 16 home runs, but it will be interesting to see if their numbers slip against more stout pitching staffs and formidable offensive foes. Bearing an absolute collapse the Cougars won’t drop out of the Top 25, and it wouldn’t be unfathomable to see them win each of their upcoming series, but it would be a surprise to see them continue to roll in each as they’ve done the first half of the season.

TRADE: Northwood Timberwolves for Wayne State Warriors
The Warriors were a preseason top 20 selection, but a mediocre 8-7 start jettisoned them early from the rankings. After going 14-2 since, heading into last weekend WSU had reclaimed their spot among the elite and were in a position to secure it with a strong series showing against upstart Northwood. Nonetheless, it was the ‘Wolves that won the series, which included 15-0 and 20-11 man-handlings of the Warriors. With that Northwood now has the upper hand and momentum in the GLIAC, which also makes them the favorite in the Midwest Region.

The Wolves are a balanced club which leads the GLIAC in batting average and ERA and isn’t far behind in fielding either. David Vinsky has been stellar as a freshman, leading the team with a .453 average, which places him fifth in the nation. The ‘Wolves pitching staff has an envious trio of proficient starting pitchers in Ian Dimitrie, Tyler Jandron and Matt Pearsall who make them an arduous opponent in the postseason.


Rk. Prev. School ST Record Week
1 1 Tampa Spartans FL 27-10 3-0
2 2 North Georgia Nighthawks GA 32-8 3-1
3 3 Chico State Wildcats CA 31-7 3-0
4 4 Emporia State Hornets KS 31-8 4-0
5 5 Mercyhurst Lakers PA 27-2 5-0
6 6 USC Aiken Pacers SC 30-11 3-1
7 7 Angelo State Rams TX 26-8 3-0
8 8 Dixie State Trailblazers UT 29-9 0-0
9 10 Lubbock Christian Chaparrals TX 29-10 3-0
10 12 Colorado Mesa Mavericks CO 30-8 4-0
11 14 Mount Olive Trojans NC 37-7 4-0
12 9 Azusa Pacific Cougars CA 31-7 1-3
13 15 Florida Southern Moccasins FL 29-8 3-0
14 11 UC San Diego Tritons CA 25-10 1-3
15 17 Southern Arkansas Muleriders AR 32-7 3-0
16 19 Delta State Statesman MS 32-8 3-0
17 13 Nova Southeastern Sharks FL 25-15 1-3
18 18 West Texas A&M Buffs TX 27-9 1-1
19 16 Minnesota State Mavericks MN 24-5 4-2
20 21 Georgia College Bobcats GA 28-10 3-1
21 25 West Chester Golden Rams PA 22-6 5-0
22 NR Northwood Wolves MI 27-8 4-1
23 23 Central Missouri Mules MO 25-12 3-1
24 25 Belmont Abbey Crusaders NC 26-15 1-0
25 22 Lynn Fighting Knights FL 25-16 0-4

Dropped out: Wayne State (24).



NAIA

BUY: Hope International Royals
Although unranked, the Royals have been on the cusp of the Top 25 for the last several weeks. They took two from Menlo and Westmont each the last couple of weeks and are currently positioned second in the Golden State Athletic Conference, just a half-game behind Vanguard. With Arizona Christian and San Diego Christian as their upcoming foes HIU is in good position to usurp the conference regular season title from VU.

Although the Royals haven’t had many problems winning games, they’ve rarely done so convincingly and don’t have a terribly striking run differential, which powerhouse clubs typically boast. Their team batting average is an unspectacular .265 while their opposition is just behind at .260. While HIU’s long-term national prospects aren’t terribly optimistic, there is plenty of reason to believe they’ll have a strong conclusion to their regular season and should be in good position to play in the NAIA opening round. For now invest in the Royals outcomes, but cash out in early May.

SELL: Southeastern Fire
SEU has been ranked all season long and slowly climbed their way into the top five, but their winning ways were in large part to a schedule front-loaded on less-than-imposing teams. Just as SEU meticulously climbed their way up the rankings table, they’re slowly working their way back down. The past two weekends they’ve played their toughest competition and the results did not go their way - it didn't help that they've been playing without some of their regular starters and their four hole was lost due to a fractured face on Saturday. The Fire lost each of their series to St. Thomas and Keiser, with only a single win, and have another tall order ahead with three games against rapidly rising Webber International. 

When all is said and done the Fire will reasonably wind up where they started the season, ranked in the lower 20’s. They’re still a top half of The Sun Conference team, which means they have the ability to go far in the extended postseason, but their overall ceiling has been lowered the last couple of weeks. They’ll need a little bit more luck to pair with their talent and win a couple of games they shouldn’t if they’re to make it to Lewiston.

TRADE: Mobile Rams for Faulkner Eagles
After starting the season ranked 10th, the Eagles have been a top-three team all season long and spent nearly a month in the NAIA pole position. The last couple weeks however has given a bit of trepidation to their likelihood of making a repeat trip to Lewiston as Faulkner has gone 3-4 over their last seven to double their season loss total. Undeniably the Eagles are one of NAIA’s best, but another team in their conference is in a position to steal some of their spotlight.

Mobile has quietly put together a respectable season, earning 33 wins to date and are fourth in the competitive Southern States Athletic Conference. While they may not be up to the overall caliber of fellow SSAC teams Faulkner and Middle Georgia State, the Rams have shown they have the ability to compete and could steal a win from anyone in the country. They have a series win over William Carey and played Middle Georgia State close in three defeats. The Rams’ ultimate proving ground will come at the end of the season when they host Faulkner. If they’re able manage a win, or somehow take the series, it would boost their postseason impetus where anything can happen.


Rk. Prev. School ST Record Week
1 1 Oklahoma City Stars OK 40-5 3-0
2 2 Faulkner Eagles AL 38-8 2-2
3 3 Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles OK 38-8 3-0
4 4 Bellevue Bruins NE 37-7 4-1
5 7 Webber International Warriors FL 35-9 4-0
6 8 Northwestern Ohio Racers OH 32-10 3-0
7 6 Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs TN 31-14 2-2
8 5 Southeastern Fire FL 38-7 1-2
9 9 Middle Georgia State Knights GA 35-12 3-1
10 10 St. Thomas Bobcats FL 34-14 4-0
11 11 Keiser Seahawks FL 33-15 3-1
12 12 Missouri Baptist Spartans MO 31-11 4-1
13 13 Texas Wesleyan Rams TX 32-11 4-0
14 14 Indiana Tech Warriors IN 31-9 4-0
15 15 Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies GA 31-16 3-1
16 16 USAO Drovers OK 35-13 4-1
17 18 Tabor Bluejays KS 31-11 3-0
18 19 Central Methodist Eagles MO 32-8 6-1
19 20 Bryan Lions TN 30-13 3-0
20 17 William Carey Crusaders MS 29-14 2-3
21 21 Clarke Crusaders IA 34-7 4-0
22 24 Cumberlands Patriots KY 36-11 5-0
23 23 Mobile Rams AL 33-12 4-1
24 25 British Columbia Thunderbirds BC 26-10 4-0
25 NR Davenport Panthers MI 27-13 3-0

Dropped out: Menlo (22).


NCAA Division III

BUY: La Roche Redhawks
La Roche started the season 3-5, but it was a much better beginning of the spring than their record showed. The first of those two losses were by a mere three runs on the road against currently top-ranked Shenandoah, and each of their other losses were by narrow margins as well. Since a slim midweek defeat at Baldwin Wallace at the end of March, the Redhawks have won 12 in a row, which includes a pair of shutouts and eight wins by at least five runs.

The Redhawks finished last season in the top 10 as they won the AMCC Conference regular season and tournament titles, along with a school-record 43 games, and this team is playing up to Coach Rowe’s preseason prediction that they’d be even better this spring. Currently they are hitting nearly .100 points higher than their opponents (.348 to .251) and are scoring nearly five more runs per game. David Lemley has been one of the division’s best hitters on the season with his .467 batting average and 20 extra-base hits. The Redhawks are not a team any club will want to see in their postseason bracket.

SELL: Roanoke Maroons
The Maroons had been a satisfying surprise as of early April with their at-the-time record of 21-8, a remarkable record for a program who last year had only their second season with more wins than losses since the program’s inception 15 years ago. Roanoke dropped both ends of a doubleheader last weekend, which is excusable as any team can have a down day, but they’ll have to be at their absolute best the next couple of weeks with upcoming contests against a very good Washington and Lee team and a very, very, very good Randolph-Macon club. Those two teams are combined 44-17 and the Yellow Jackets are a top 10 ballclub. The Maroon will somehow have to avoid a late season swoon if they are going to continue their extraordinary season.

TRADE: North Central College Cardinals for Augustana Vikings
The Vikings started the season winning 16 of 18 to garner national attention and rankings accolades, but have since gone 5-5 and currently are on the verge of falling out of the Top 25. In early April they were swept by the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin preseason favorite North Central in a three-game series. It was a surprising outcome considering the underachieving Cardinals had lumbered out of the 2017 gate with a 7-7 record headed into the matchup.

With that series sweep the NCC Cardinals are still now only a slightly more respectable 12-9 overall, but their 8-2 conference record tops the CCIW standings and is much more in line with their ability. Much of last season’s second-straight conference winning roster is back for North Central so they could just be a late bloomer this spring. Michael Mateja has been playing at an All-American level with a .417 batting average and six doubles, five triples and 11 stolen bases in only 84 at-bats. If NCC’s pitchers can get their ERA down to a more reasonable level (it’s well over two runs higher than last season), the Cardinals should easily win the conference once again.


Rk. Prev. School ST Record Week
1 1 Shenandoah Hornets VA 27-3 3-1
2 2 Birmingham-Southern Panthers AL 29-6 2-1
3 3 Cortland State Red Dragons NY 26-5 4-0
4 4 UW-Whitewater Warhawks WI 20-3 4-1
5 5 Wooster Fighting Scots OH 19-5 3-1
6 6 Centenary Gents LA 29-6 3-0
7 7 Oswego State Lakers NY 19-7 4-1
8 8 Tyler Texas Patriots TX 28-5 0-0
9 9 LaGrange Panthers GA 35-4 4-0
10 11 Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets VA 23-8 3-1
11 10 Tufts Jumbos MA 18-3-1 3-1-1
12 12 La Roche Redhawks PA 21-6 3-0
13 14 Emory Eagles GA 24-11 1-0
14 16 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays  MD 24-6 4-0
15 17 Salisbury Seagulls MD 26-8 3-1
16 19 UT Dallas Comets TX 25-8 3-1
17 22 St. John Fisher Cardinals NY 18-6 3-0
18 24 Alvernia Crusaders PA 23-5-2 3-1-1
19 13 Occidental Tigers CA 21-12 1-2
20 15 Washington Bears MO 18-8 2-3
21 20 Cal Lutheran Kingsmen CA 22-9 1-3
22 25 Willamette Bearcats OR 26-12 3-0
23 21 Christopher Newport Captains VA 25-13 2-1
24 NR Salve Regina Seahawks  RI 20-4 3-0
25 25 Augustana Vikings IL 20-7 2-1

Dropped out: UW La Crosse (18), Roanoke (21).



College | Story | 6/11/2026

Collegiate Freshman All-Americans

Vincent Cervino
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Collegiate Postseason Awards | Collegiate All Americans First Team Hitters Pos. Name School Class AVG OBP SLG R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB C Alonzo Alvarez Miami FR 0.341 0.439 0.551 40 57 13 2 6 32 3 1B Ethin Bingaman Auburn FR 0.330 0.415 0.581 60 71 9 0 15 50 4 2B Ethan Ball Virginia Tech FR 0.310 0.420 0.660 43 63 18 1 17 52 3 3B Nico Partida Texas A&M FR 0.306 0.408 0.550 45 55 8 0 12 43 4 SS Jett Kenady California FR 0.320 0.350 0.573 36 66 17 1 11 34 1 IF Linkin Garcia Texas Tech FR 0.338 0.387 0.489 53 78 21 1 4 59 1 OF Angel Laya Oregon FR 0.296 0.396 0.538 49 66 10 1 14 47 5 OF Anthony Pack Jr. Texas FR 0.359 0.485 0.597 58 74 16 0 11 52 20 OF Jacob Parker* Mississippi State FR 0.339 0.449 0.732 51 57 10 1 18 62 7 OF Teddy Tokheim Stanford FR 0.352 0.414 0.704 40 70 19 0 17 47 0 UT Drew Grego Nebraska FR 0.326 0.417 0.531 33 57 13 1 7 44 5 DH Enzo Infelise Cincinnati FR 0.374...
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14u/15u Midwest World Series Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Aiden Weishaar (2029, Geneso, Ill.) physical power bat put together one of the most productive offensive performances of the event, showing big impact off the barrel with advanced strength and leverage through the swing. Collected six hits including two doubles and two home runs while driving in 13 runs, consistently doing damage in run-producing situations. Creates loud contact with present pull-side juice and projects for significant power as the frame and strength continue to mature. Middle of the order offensive profile with the ability to change the game with one swing. Also stood out on the mound with a dominant 7 inning performance, punching out 11 hitters while working efficiently throughout the outing. Fastball ran up to 86 mph with good life through the zone and showed the ability to consistently attack hitters and miss bats. Highly intriguing two-way prospect whose combination...
Tournaments | Story | 6/19/2026

14u WWBA Returns to Hoover

Kinley Kitchens
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One of the most anticipated events on the summer travel baseball calendar returns this week as the 2026 Perfect Game 14U WWBA National Championship gets underway in Hoover and the surrounding Birmingham area. Now in its 19th year, the tournament has established itself as the premier event for 14U players across the country, annually attracting some of the top young talent in amateur baseball. This year’s championship will feature 129 teams competing for a national title, continuing a tradition that has seen organizations such as East Cobb Astros, Team Elite, USA Prime, SBA Bolts National, and defending champion ZT National Prospects take home the trophy. As always, the field is loaded with elite prospects, many of whom are already becoming familiar names within the Perfect Game community. Starting off strong with Christopher Cabrera, the No. 1 overall player and No. 1 third baseman...
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UBC West Scout Notes: Days 5-7

Perfect Game Staff
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UBC West Scout Notes: Days 1-2 | Days 3-4 Impressive performance on both sides from Cole Migaki, working 5 and striking out 3 w/o allowing a walk for the ND. FB 81-83 T85, BB 73-74 #UBCWest https://t.co/nSIx0UVQY7 pic.twitter.com/t2zXIpPLCO — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 16, 2026 Cole Migaki (2029, Vancouver, Wash.) Migaki is a high-end prospect, putting that on display with one of the more consistent performances at the 15u UBC West.  He totaled five hits, drove in four and walked six times to only two strike outs to help lead the Baum Bats to the title.  He has a projectable frame 6-foot-1, 170-pounds with strength throughout.  The right-hander made an appearance on the mound, throwing five-innings and striking out three without allowing a walk.  The fastball was up to 86 with run and coupled it with a sharp breaking ball in the...
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Road to the 2026 17U BCS Title

Emily Hicks
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This weekend, 11 teams will take the field for the 2026 17U BCS Challenge, a three-day event that brings together programs from across the country for a full slate of pool play and bracket action. With games beginning Friday and a champion crowned Sunday, the format leaves little room for slow starts, making every inning important from the opening pitch. The field features a mix of established programs and rising teams. With so many evenly matched rosters, there’s not much separation heading into the weekend, which puts importance on pitching depth, defensive consistency, and timely hitting. Pool play will quickly determine seeding, and even one loss can shift a team’s path heading into bracket play. One of the teams expected to be in the mix is Hawaii Elite 2G 17U National, a group that is 6-3 overall and ranked as “Honorable Mention” on the Perfect Games...
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PG Draft: Top 500 Update

Tyler Henninger
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Rk. Name Lvl Pos. B-T School Hometown State Commitment 1 Roch Cholowsky C SS R-R UCLA Chandler AZ 2 Grady Emerson H SS L-R Fort Worth Christian Argyle TX Texas 3 Vahn Lackey C C R-R Georgia Tech Suwanee GA 4 Jackson Flora C RHP R-R UC Santa Barbara Pleasanton CA 5 Jacob Lombard H SS R-R Gulliver Schools Miami FL Miami 6 Eric Booth Jr. H OF L-L Oak Grove Bassfield MS Vanderbilt 7 Drew Burress C OF R-R Georgia Tech Perry GA 8 Ryder Helfrick C C R-R Arkansas Discovery Bay CA 9 AJ Gracia C OF L-L Virginia Monroe NJ 10 Chris Hacopian C SS R-R Texas A&M Potomac MD 11 Gio Rojas H LHP L-R Marjory Stoneman Douglas Coral Springs FL Miami 12 Tyler Bell* C SS S-R Kentucky Frankfort IL 13 Cameron Flukey C RHP R-R Coastal Carolina Egg Harbor Township NJ 14 Ace Reese C 3B L-R Mississippi State Canton TX 15 Justin Lebron C SS R-R Alabama Miramar FL 16 Derek Curiel* C OF L-R LSU West Covina CA 17...
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PG Softball Stars Over Florida Showcase 14U Division

Erica Beach
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PG Stars Over Florida Showcase Clearwater, FL June 13-14, 2026   CLEARWATER, FLORIDA- Perfect Game Softball made its official debut in the state of Florida this past weekend at Eddie C. Moore sports complex. The weather was perfect, and the atmosphere was right for some great softball. We had many college coaches of all levels attend and our National Scouting Director was on hand to evaluate and highlight the athletes. We are excited for future events and the ability to promote and highlight the great athletes in the southeast! Below we highlight the 14U division where we had teams representing three states.     14U Division   Zoey Salas (2030, RHP/1B Windsor, CO) of the Colorado Angels 14U Breed was a standout player all weekend. She was a strong two-way player who proved to be a consistent force on both sides of the ball. Offensively, this left-handed hitter starts...
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PG Aggieland Showcase

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PG Aggieland Showcase College Station, Texas June 13-14, 2026 Scouts: Brynn Baca & Karlie Milburn COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS- Perfect Game Softball was excited to return to College Station for the second annual Aggieland Showcase last weekend.. Some great competition was seen over the three age groups. We had two scouts on site to evaluate and highlight some of the athletes who caught their eyes. Thank you to all teams and players who competed so hard! Below we highlight those athletes who impressed our scouts. 18U Division Elizabeth Posada- Elizabeth Posada is a 2028 two-way player from Houston, Texas, competing for Aztecs Premier who brings an intriguing combination of offensive upside and athletic versatility. At the plate, Posada recently went 4-for-8 on the weekend, continuing to show consistency and offensive awareness. She sets up with a slightly open, wide stance and does a...
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Alyssa Golden
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The fifth annual PG City of Palms Championship is set to take place in Fort Myers, Florida, from June 19-22, featuring teams from the 15U-18U age divisions. The four-day event will showcase some of the top talent in the state, including several nationally ranked prospects who have already made their presence felt this summer season. Before tournament play begins, here’s a look at some of the highest-ranked players expected to compete this weekend. Leading the group is catcher Nico Ayars in the 16U division. Ayars enters the weekend as the No. 135 player nationally, the No. 3 catcher in Florida and the No. 20 catcher in the country. Through 22 games this summer with Turn 2 Garcia, the right-handed hitter owns a .887 OPS while batting .306 with a .438 OBP and a .449 SLG. Ayars has collected 15 hits while driving in 12 runs and scoring 13 times. Ayars’ teammate, right-handed...
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Perfect Game Softball Route 66 Summer Showcase

Dave Durbala
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SPRINGFIELD, IL - Perfect Game Softball Route 66 Summer Showcase, June 13-14, 2026. Twenty-Seven teams, representing the 14u and High School Divisions, arrived at the newly opened all turfed Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe, for the opportunity to showcase their talent in a five game guarantee format. As with anytime we bring a group of players together for competition, there will be those players that rise to the challenge and turn in performances that earn them a place on our Top Performers list.  Below are some of the players, from both divisions, that were recognized as top performers. 14U Division Kinley Abrams (2030 Bloomington, IL) is a RHH for Texas Glory IL-2030 (Wyatt). Setting up in a slightly wide parallel stance, into her back leg, Abrams gains separation with a  push back to transfer weight, and then utilizes a small stride to launch her swing. Abrams works a...
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PG JUCO Awards & Final Top 25

Blaine Peterson
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Pitcher of the Year: Nathan Leffel - RHP - Fresno City College 2026 Stat Line: 89.1 IP | 12-1 | 1.91 ERA | .83 WHIP | 118 K An outstanding individual pitching season in California JUCO baseball this spring. A model of consistency on the mound making starts in January through May for Fresno City. Worked over 89 innings on the mound and made 14 starts where he threw at least 5 innings. Ranked in the top 5 of California JUCO in wins, ERA and strikeouts. And one of the only pitchers in all of JUCO to reach the benchmarks of 10+ wins (12), a sub 2.00 ERA (1.91 ERA) and 100 strikeouts (118 K). A consistent and dominant presence on the mound for a team that went 40-5 this past spring. Congratulations to Nathan Leffel, 2026 Perfect Game JUCO Pitcher of the Year. Ryan Bradford | FR | OF@JCCCBaseball Everything I have from this spring starting with HR’s 31 & 32 today. This is...
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