SBLive’s California Baseball Top 25: No. 1 JSerra repeats as Southern Section Division 1 champions

The JSerra Lions captured their second consecutive Southern Section Division 1 championship on Friday night, beating Santa Margarita 1-0. JSerra closed out their season by winning 13 of their final 14 games. Junior centerfielder Dmitri Susdiko was the hero, lacing a single to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning to score Jackson Summers for the game's only run.

JSerra announced on Monday that they have opted out of playing in next week's Southern California regional playoffs.

You can view the California baseball playoff brackets here.

Here’s a look at the top baseball teams in California. SBLive’s statewide California high school baseball rankings are compiled by SBLive reporter Bodie DeSilva and are released weekly throughout the season.

(Lead photo by Alyson Boyer Rode)

SBLIVE CALIFORNIA TOP 25 BASEBALL RANKINGS

May 22, 2023

1. JSerra (24-9)

JSerra completed their run in the Southern Section playoffs, capturing their second straight Division 1 title. They shutout Corona in the semifinals and walked off Santa Margarita for a 1-0 victory in Friday's championship game. The Lions have opted out of playing in next week's Southern California regional playoffs.

Next game: Season complete

2. Santa Margarita (26-7)

Santa Margarita had their seven-game winning streak ended by JSerra in Friday's Southern Section Division 1 championship game. The Eagles will have this week off before the Southern California regional playoffs begin on Tuesday.

Next game: 5/30 vs. TBD

3. Valley Christian (San Jose) (27-3)

The Warriors extended their winning streak to 15 games by beating Menlo-Atherton in the first round of the Central Coast Section Division 1 playoffs. They'll host St. Ignatius College Prep in the semifinals after beating the Wildcats by a combined score of 21-3.

Next game: 5/24 vs. St. Ignatius College Prep

4. Cardinal Newman (25-1)

The Cardinals shutout Saint Mary's (Albany) in the quarterfinal round of the North Coast Section playoffs following their first round bye. They'll host Bishop O'Dowd in Tuesday's semifinal round.

Next game: 5/22 vs. Bishop O'Dowd

5. Corona (22-10)

Corona was shutout by JSerra on Tuesday afternoon, one game after the Panthers took down Notre Dame. They'll await their seeding in next week's Southern California regional playoffs.

Next game: 5/30 vs. TBD

6. Orange Lutheran (20-11-1)

Orange Lutheran's Southern Section playoff run was ended by Trinity League foe Santa Margarita on Tuesday, 5-1. The Lancers will have this full week off before beginning the Southern California regional playoffs next Tuesday.

Next game: 5/30 vs. TBD

7. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) (26-2)

Notre Dame saw their season come to a shocking end with a 2-1 loss at Corona in 10 innings two weeks ago. The Knights had won 21 of their previous 22 games before losing in the quarterfinal round of the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. They will fill JSerra's spot in next week's Southern California regional playoffs.

Next game: 5/30 vs. TBD

8. La Costa Canyon (22-6)

La Costa Canyon produced two come from behind victories last week, walking off against St. Augustine on Wednesday and Torrey Pines on Friday. The Mavericks will host Carlsbad on Tuesday, needing to win just once over two days to return to the Open Division championship game.

Next game: 5/23 vs. Carlsbad

9. Crespi (21-7-3)

Crespi took down Aquinas in extra innings on Tuesday and mounted a four-run seventh inning against South Hills in the Southern Section Division 2 championship game, winning 6-5. They'll enjoy a week off before playing in next week's Southern California regional playoffs.

Next game: 5/30 vs. TBD

10. De La Salle (22-5)

After being shutout by Granada to end the regular season, the Spartans have scored a combined 24 runs in playoff wins over Castro Valley and Liberty (Brentwood) so far. They'll host 12-seed Pittsburg on Tuesday with a trip to the championship game on the line.

Next game: 5/23 vs. Pittsburg

11. Franklin (Elk Grove) (28-4)

Franklin has won 14 straight games since losing to St. Mary's (Stockton) in early April. They cruised past Stagg and Oak Ridge in the first two rounds of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 playoffs before taking two games from Lincoln in last week's semifinal round. They'll play two-seed Whitney in the championship game on Friday night at Sac City College.

Next game: 5/26 vs. Whitney

12. Whitney (26-7)

Whitney shutout Armijo and Rocklin in the first two rounds of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs before last week's battle with St. Mary's (Stockton). The Wildcats one the first and last game of the three-game series to advance past the semifinal round and will meet Franklin in Friday's championship game.

Next game: 5/15 vs. Stockton St. Mary's

13. Rancho Bernardo (21-7)

Rancho Bernardo walked off with a 3-2 win against La Jolla Country Day in the opening round of the San Diego Section playoffs before beating Eastlake 11-3 two days later. They'll host Eastlake on Tuesday, needing just one win over the Titans to reach Friday's San Diego Section Open Division championship game.

Next game: 5/23 vs. Eastlake

14. Eastlake (26-4)

Eastlake beat Granite Hills 3-1 on Wednesday before falling at Rancho Bernardo 11-3 on Friday. They kept their season alive with a 4-3 win over Granite Hills on Saturday but now must beat Rancho Bernardo on consecutive days this week to reach Friday's championship game. They have qualified for the Southern California regional playoffs.

Next game: 5/23 at Rancho Bernardo

15. South Hills (24-7)

South Hills was in control of Friday's Southern Section Division 2 championship game, leading 4-0 after three innings and 5-2 after six innings before the Celts mounted a comeback. The Huskies will be off this week before beginning the Southern California regional playoffs next week.

Next game: 5/30 vs. TBD

16. Aquinas (25-5)

Aquinas has their 11-game winning streak snapped against Crespi on Tuesday, losing 5-3 in eight innings in the Southern Section Division 2 semifinals. They have qualified for the Southern Section regional playoffs and will be back in action next Tuesday.

Next game: 5/30 vs. TBD

17. La Mirada (22-8)

The Matadores led Santa Margarita 4-1 two weeks ago before surrendering eight runs in the sixth inning on their way to a 9-4 loss. La Mirada finished the season with a 1.57 ERA as a team, tossing two no-hitters.

Next game: Season complete

18. Harvard-Westlake (18-7)

The Wolverines played two tight playoff games, beating Palos Verdes 1-0 in 14 innings before falling to Orange Lutheran 1-0.

Next game: Season complete

19. Villa Park (20-11)

Villa Park got past Damien and Huntington Beach in the first two rounds of the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs before falling to Orange Lutheran. Senior left-handed pitcher Brandon Luu finished the season with a 1.24 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 62 innings.

Next game: Season complete

20. Huntington Beach (21-9)

Huntington Beach fell to Villa Park in the second round of the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.

Next game: Season complete

21. Clayton Valley Charter (19-5)

Clayton Valley got past James Logan 4-3 in Friday's quarterfinal matchup. They'll head to San Ramon Valley on Tuesday with a berth in this weekend's championship game on the line.

Next game: 5/23 at San Ramon Valley

22. Carlsbad (21-10)

Seven of Carlsbad's last eight games have been decided by one run. They opened the playoffs with a loss to Torrey Pines before fighting back by beating St. Augustine and Torrey Pines to reach the second week of the San Diego Section playoffs. They've qualified for next week's Southern California regional playoffs but will need to beat La Costa Canyon twice this week to keep their Open Division hopes alive.

Next game: 5/23 at La Costa Canyon

23. Buchanan (21-8)

Buchanan has won 13 of their past 14 games to reach the semifinal round of the Central Section Division 1 playoffs. They'll play reigning champion Stockdale on Tuesday for a trip to Saturday night's championship game.

Next game: 5/23 vs. Stockdale

24. San Ramon Valley (20-9)

San Ramon Valley closed out the regular season by winning three straight extra-inning games and have gotten by Antioch and Berkeley in the first two rounds of the North Coast Section playoffs. They'll host Clayton Valley Charter on Tuesday for the right to play in this weekend's section championship game.

Next game: 5/23 vs. Clayton Valley Charter

25. St. Mary's (Stockton) (23-6)

St. Mary's grabbed one game from Whitney last week but dropped the first and last games of the series in the semifinal round to conclude their season.

Next game: Season complete