SBLive Power 25 Ohio baseball rankings: Badin rises to the top spot
Hamilton Badin has won eight of its last nine games by at least six runs, enabling it to take over the top spot in the rankings.
Cincinnati Moeller and Cleveland St. Ignatius, which had been at Nos. 1 and 3, respectively, last week, both took losses.
Here’s week four of the SBLive Ohio Power 25 baseball rankings:
1. Hamilton Badin (16-0)
Last week: No. 2
After posting shutout wins in six of their first 11 games, the Rams gave up one run in four consecutive games, including beating Franklin Bishop Fenwick 11-1 on April 19 and 7-1 on April 21. They defeated Cincinnati McNicholas 9-3 on April 24.
2. Jonathan Alder (15-0)
Last week: No. 6
After sweeping New Carlisle Tecumseh 10-0 on April 18 and 9-3 on April 19, the Pioneers edged Springfield Kenton Ridge 2-0 on April 24 and blasted Richwood North Union 16-0 on April 25.
3. Pemberville Eastwood (14-0)
Last week: No. 5
The Eagles defeated Millbury Lake 15-2 on April 19 and continued their perfect start with a 2-0 win over Tontogany Otsego on April 24.
4. Defiance (12-1)
Last week: No. 4
Aidan Kiessling tossed a no-hitter, striking out 14, to lead the Bulldogs to a 5-1 win over Chagrin Falls Kenston on April 21. Defiance also beat Maumee 9-1 on April 20.
5. Fredericktown (14-0)
Last week: No. 9
After blowing by Mount Gilead 14-2 on April 19 and Danville 12-2 on April 20, the Freddies edged Galion Northmor 1-0 on April 24 behind the pitching of senior Ben Mast.
6. Archbishop Moeller (11-2)
Last week: No. 1
The Crusaders’ 10-game winning streak ended with a 6-5 loss April 24 to Cincinnati Elder. That followed a 12-5 win over Edgewood (Kentucky) Dixie Heights on April 20 and an 8-2 victory April 22 over Olentangy Orange, one of central Ohio’s top teams.
7. St. Ignatius (11-3)
Last week: No. 3
The Wildcats bounced back from a 7-3 loss to Massillon Jackson on April 20 by beating Cincinnati St. Xavier 12-0 and 7-1 on April 23 and Mayfield 7-0 on April 25.
8. Mason (12-2)
Last week: No. 10
The Comets have won five in a row, including beating Middletown 9-1 on April 19 and 1-0 on April 25 and Cincinnati Princeton 5-1 on April 24.
9. Olentangy Liberty (13-2)
Last week: No. 7
The Patriots followed a 14-4 win over Hilliard Davidson on April 21 by beating the Wildcats 14-1 on April 24 in OCC-Central Division action.
10. Columbus Bishop Watterson (14-0)
Last week: Unranked
Perhaps the biggest reason the Eagles have moved into the rankings is that they give up just 1.2 runs per game. Watterson defeated Columbus Ready 8-0 on April 21 and 12-2 on April 24 and Newark Catholic 8-2 on April 22.
11. Washington Court House (14-1)
Last week: No. 16
The Blue Lions have continued to stay hot after losing for the only time in late March, beating Chillicothe 5-1 on April 20, Hillsboro 12-0 on April 21 and Greenfield McClain 3-1 on April 24.
12. Berlin Hiland (12-1)
Last week: No. 13
The Hawks have won six in a row, including sweeping Magnolia Sandy Valley 15-0 on April 18 and 11-0 on April 19 and defeating Strasburg-Franklin 13-1 on April 21 and Doylestown Chippewa 3-2 on April 25.
13. Wayne Trace (9-1)
Last week: No. 19
The Raiders have won 10 in a row, including beating Sherwood Fairview 7-4 on April 20, Fort Jennings 11-1 on April 24 and Edgerton 8-2 on April 25.
14. Walsh Jesuit (10-2-1)
Last week: No. 15
The Warriors likely will end up with one tie in their final record after their game against Toledo St. John’s on April 22 was suspended due to darkness after nine innings with the score tied at 6. The Warriors then defeated Mentor Lake Catholic 16-0 on April 24 and 7-6 on April 25.
15. Thornville Sheridan (18-3)
Last week: Unranked
On April 24, the Generals defeated Dresden Tri-Valley 3-2 and then scored five times in the seventh to rally for a 5-1 win over Tri-Valley to complete a game that had been suspended April 5.
16. Medina (13-3)
Last week: No. 8
The Bees lost to Mayfield 8-3 on April 20 but beat Medina Highland 6-0 on April 22 and Strongsville 14-0 on April 25.
17. Gates Mills Gilmour Academy (11-1)
Last week: No. 11
After losing to Hudson 5-3 on April 19, the Lancers defeated Avon 2-1 on April 20, Mogadore Field 7-1 on April 21 and Pepper Pike Orange 12-0 on April 24.
18. Lincolnview (11-2)
Last week: No. 12
The Lancers had a four-game winning streak snapped by Fort Recovery 4-0 on April 22 but followed with wins over Bluffton (10-0 on April 24) and Lima Central Catholic 4-0 on April 25).
19. Chillicothe Unioto (13-2)
Last week: No. 14
After edging Frankfort Adena 5-4 on April 19, the Shermans beat Waverly 7-2 on April 20 and Paint Valley 6-1 on April 24 but lost to Chillicothe Huntington 4-3 on April 25.
20. Russia (13-2)
Last week: No. 17
The Raiders, who are first in the Division IV state poll according to the OHSBCA, had a four-game winning streak snapped with a 6-1 loss April 25 to Fort Loramie.
21. Tiffin Calvert (12-1)
Last week: No. 21
After losing to Willard 11-10 in eight innings on April 18, the Senecas outscored their next four opponents by a combined 43-2 including shutting out Arcadia 10-0 on April 20 and New Riegel 11-0 on April 25.
22. Coldwater (12-2)
Last week: No. 22
Now on a five-game winning streak, the Cavaliers shut out Rockford Parkway 11-0 on April 20, edged Bryan 7-6 in nine innings April 22 and also defeated Elida 14-3 on April 24 and Versailles 6-3 on April 25.
23. Canfield (9-2)
Last week: No. 23
In their first action in a week, the Cardinals defeated Youngstown Boardman 9-3 on April 25 as Ben Slanker went 3-for-4 with a home run and Jameson Beck pitched six innings.
24. Cincinnati Elder (12-3)
Last week: Unranked
In addition to their win over Moeller, the Panthers swept a pair of games against Cincinnati St. Xavier 14-1 on April 18 and 4-1 on April 19 and also defeated Kingsport (Tennessee) Dobyns-Bennett 13-11 on April 21 and Bristol (Tennessee) 12-5 on April 22.
25. Massillon Jackson (13-3)
Last week: Unranked
After losing three of five in mid-April, the Polar Bears have put together a four-game winning streak that includes a 7-3 win April 20 over Cleveland St. Ignatius and victories over Solon (5-3 on April 21) and Uniontown Lake (9-5 on April 25).
