Here’s a look at three No. 1-ranked baseball teams. Highlights: Locust Grove has a freshman pitcher committed to Mississippi State. Blessed Trinity has the second-longest winning streak in the nation and a lefty pitcher named Glavine. Wesleyan lost its first game Wednesday to formidable Hebron Christian but remains a force in AA despite only two returning starters in the everyday lineup.
AAAA – Locust Grove is 6-1 and ranked No. 1 despite starting only two seniors. The pitching staff has allowed only one earned run through seven games. That's with seven pitchers throwing between five and nine innings for the season. They are Nolan Crisp (committed to Mississippi State as a freshman), Christian Young (Andrew College), Ethan Lindow (a 6-foot-3 junior with major D-I interest), Joah Curry, Justin Nicholson, Odlanier Rodriguez and Trevor Sellers. The top hitters so far have been Sellers (.391, three doubles, 9 RBI), Austin Moody (.381, 7 RBI) and Gavin Lee (.363, 7 RBI). In its seventh season, Locust Grove is an emerging state power. The team made the state quarterfinals in 2015, the round of 16 in 2014 and the quarterfinals in 2013.
AAA - Blessed Trinity extended its winning streak to 37 games on Wednesday with an 12-2 victory over Decatur. According to MaxPreps, that is the second-longest current winning streak in the nation. St. Cloud of Minnesota is at 50. Senior first baseman Conor Davis (6-for-15) has signed with Georgia Tech. Freshman Ryan Davis is hitting a team-leading .467 (7-for-15). The pitching staff includes John Michael Bertrand (Furman signee), Hayden Lehman (Walters State), Connor Durham and lefty Peyton Glavine, son of Tom Glavine.
AA – Wesleyan returned only two position players from its 2015 championship team but is 8-1 with key victories over No. 2 Westminster of AAA, No. 5 Jeff Davis of AA, No. 9 Wayne County of AAA and No. 9 Benedictine of AA. Wesleyan lost to Hebron Christian, the No. 2 team in AA, 6-2 on Wednesday, which could threaten its ranking next week. Right fielder and four-year starter Colin Hall (13-for-27, three doubles) has committed to Georgia Tech. Jake McCleskey (7-for-23, two doubles), now the shortstop after two seasons at third base, also returns. Another big hitter is left fielder Mikey (pronounced Mike-E) Olson, who is 9-for-29, three doubles, one home run. The top pitchers are Andy Archer, who is committed to Georgia Tech as a preferred walk-on, and Jordan Ward, a 10-game winner last season.
Later: Catching up with No. 1 Milton (AAAAAA), Gainesville (AAAAA) and King's Ridge (A)
Credit: Todd Holcomb
Credit: Todd Holcomb
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