Teams from Archbishop Mitty like the one above have done well at the Livermore Stampede, which will be coming up this weekend. Shown at right is one of the early San Diego High teams that won at the Mike Morrow Lions tourney. The 62nd edition of that baseball event is going on this weekend. Photos: Harold Abend & Lionsbaseball.org.
San Clemente baseball has already lost back in California after winning National High School Invitational but we’re still ranking the Tritons No. 1 in the state since it was their first loss. Highest risers in baseball for State Top 20 are La Costa Canyon, Alemany and unbeaten San Dimas. In softball, there were few changes but could be next week based on what happens at Michelle Carew Classic and Livermore Stampede. Highest risers in softball for State Top 20 are Benicia, Patrick Henry and San Benito.
Check below for this week’s new list of the State Top 20 baseball and softball rankings.
To read our breakdowns on each Top 20 team, why some of these rankings moves were made, which teams are on the bubble and for divisional state rankings (once basketball is complete), you need to be a member of our Gold Club. Join our team today by CLICKING HERE.
NEW CAL-HI SPORTS BASEBALL
TOP 20 OVERALL RANKINGS
After what the four California teams did at the National High School Invitational tourney last week in North Carolina, it will take more than one loss to drop tourney champion San Clemente from the No. 1 position in the state rankings.
The Tritons came home from North Carolina after defeating College Park of Pleasant Hill 8-3 last Saturday in an all-California final. They also had a 12-0 record.
As often happens when teams come back from a huge tourney title, facing strong competition immediately in a league game can be difficult. It was for San Clemente as its perfect record was spoiled in a 3-0 loss to Mission Viejo and its ace Patrick Sandoval. The Vanderbilt signee struck out eight and allowed just two hits.
La Costa Canyon’s Mickey Moniak already has a baseball card due to playing on the 15U national team.
Despite that loss, San Clemente at 12-1 can still be the state’s No. 1 team (especially since Mission Viejo is still only 8-4).
The state’s No. 2 and No. 3 teams from last week’s rankings – along with preseason ranked Huntington Beach – also all performed very strongly at the NHSI. College Park’s only loss in the event was to San Clemente in the final and among the teams the Falcons beat there was Lambert of Marietta, Ga. (the No. 2 team in the nation from last season). JSerra, which technically was No. 1 in the state when the NHSI started, dropped its first game to Mosley of Lynn Haven, Fla., but then won three in a row after that. Huntington Beach also went 3-1 at the NHSI with its only loss coming to San Clemente. In all, the four California teams went a combined 11-1 against all of the top teams from the other states. Take that number and smoke it, Florida & Texas.
Since College Park also has a loss to San Ramon Valley, JSerra can stay in front the Falcons as well in this week’s rankings despite College Park making it to the finals.
(Compiled by Mark Tennis; updated through games played Tuesday, March 31; previous rating in parentheses)
1. (1) SAN CLEMENTE 12-1
2. (2) JSERRA (SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO) 9-1
3. (3) COLLEGE PARK (PLEASANT HILL) 7-2
4. (7) LA COSTA CANYON (CARLSBAD) 10-1
5. (8) EDISON (HUNTINGTON BEACH) 14-1
6. (10) HARVARD-WESTLAKE (NORTH HOLLYWOOD) 10-2
7. (16) ALEMANY (MISSION HILLS) 11-2
8. (4) DANA HILLS (DANA POINT) 14-2-1
9. (5) VALLEY CHRISTIAN (SAN JOSE) 11-2
10. (19) ST. AUGUSTINE (SAN DIEGO) 10-1
11. (13) SAN RAMON VALLEY (DANVILLE) 5-1
12. (11) OAK RIDGE (EL DORADO HILLS) 11-1
13. (NR) FRANKLIN (ELK GROVE) 9-2
14. (6) BUCHANAN (CLOVIS) 15-3
15. (15) FOOTHILL (PLEASANTON) 7-0
16. (NR) ELK GROVE 6-3
17. (9) BELLARMINE (SAN JOSE) 10-2
18. (NR) SAN DIMAS 13-0
19. (NR) VINTAGE (NAPA) 13-1
20. (NR) VISTA 9-1
Dropped Out:
Previous No. 12 Centennial (Bakersfield); No. 14 Rancho Bernardo (San Diego); No. 17 San Benito (Hollister); No. 18 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose); No. 20 Granite Hills (El Cajon).
NEW CAL-HI SPORTS SOFTBALL
TOP 20 OVERALL RANKINGS
After the weekends of the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Arizona as well as the Best of the West tournament held at Pacifica of Garden Grove, last weekend was relatively quiet for the state ‘s top teams.
That changes somewhat for the upcoming weekend with No. 1 Mission Viejo and other top teams, including defending champion Amador Valley (Mission Viejo was not in it last season), in the annual Michelle Carew Classic. No. 4 Lutheran of Orange will be at the Best of the West tournament in Santa Maria, while No. 7 Mitty and unbeaten No. 14 Benicia are among those in the field at the Livermore Stampede.
A complicating factor for this week’s rankings is that when compiling the rankings on Wednesday it was learned that No. 15 Norco had already lost to Santa Monica in an early game at the Michelle Carew Classic. That result isn’t included in this week’s rankings.
(Compiled by Mark Tennis; updated through reported games played Tuesday, March 31; previous rating in parentheses)
1. (1) MISSION VIEJO 12-0
2. (2) SANTIAGO (CORONA) 13-1
3. (3) PIONEER (SAN JOSE) 14-0
4. (4) LUTHERAN (ORANGE) 15-0
5. (5) PACIFICA (GARDEN GROVE) 6-3
6. (6) YUCAIPA 10-2
7. (8) ARCHBISHOP MITTY (SAN JOSE) 10-2
8. (9) ETIWANDA 14-2
9. (10) JAMES LOGAN (UNION CITY) 6-0
10. (11) MURRIETA VALLEY (MURRIETA) 7-2
11. (12) CANYON (ANAHEIM) 9-3
12. (13) LOS ALAMITOS 11-4
13. (14) LOS OSOS (RANCHO CUCAMONGA) 10-2
14. (16) BENICIA 11-0
15. (15) NORCO 7-4
16. (NR) PATRICK HENRY (SAN DIEGO) 9-1
17. (18) SAN CLEMENTE 13-3
18. (7) SAUGUS 9-4
19. (NR) SAN BENITO (HOLLISTER) 6-1
20. (20) WEST RANCH (VALENCIA) 10-3
Dropped Out:
Previous No. 17 Bonita Vista (Chula Vista); No. 19 Central (Fresno).
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
