Here are the Clarion Ledger’s Super 10 high school baseball rankings for the week of May 9. The teams were picked by the sports staff, baseball minds and coaches around the state.
1. Northwest Rankin (30-2) – The Cougars advanced to the MHSAA semifinals after a two-game sweep of Petal. Northwest Rankin opened the series with an 11-1 victory and closed with a 3-2 win. Southern Miss signee Nick Monistere led the Cougars with two hits and an RBI in Saturday’s victory.
2. Sumrall (31-1) – The Bobcats had their perfect season end Friday in a 10-7 loss to Greene County in the Class 4A semifinals. Sumrall responded with a 3-0 victory in Game 2 and a 5-3 win to close the series. Senior Marshall Phillips had two doubles and an RBI in Monday’s victory.
3. Madison-Ridgeland Academy (33-4) – The Patriots ended the regular season on a three-game winning streak and won nine of their last 10 games. MRA faces Jackson Academy in the MAIS Class 6A semifinals. The Patriots went 2-1 against the Raiders this season.
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4. Jackson Prep (27-6) – The Patriots won three of their last five games to finish the regular season. Jackson Prep opens the MAIS 6A playoffs against Hartfield Academy. The Patriots went 4-0 against the Hawks and outscored them 31-6 this season.
5. Brandon (26-6) – The Bulldogs continued to cruise through the MHSAA 6A playoffs with a two-game sweep of Pearl in the quarterfinals. Brandon has outscored its opponents 53-7 in four games. The Bulldogs face Northwest Rankin with a trip to Trustmark Park on the line in the semifinals.
6. Magnolia Heights (27-4) – The Chiefs swept East Rankin Academy and defeated Starkville Academy 10-0 in Game 1 of the MAIS Class 5A semifinals. Ethan Melton led Magnolia Heights with a double and three RBIs in Monday’s victory.
7. Saltillo (27-6) – The Tigers swept Ridgeland Saturday to return to the MHSAA Class 5A semifinals. Saltillo, the defending state champions, won 14-4 Saturday behind a nine-run second inning.
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8. DeSoto Central (18-10) – DeSoto Central defeated Madison Central 7-1 and 10-8 to advance to the MHSAA Class 6A semifinals. Mississippi State signee Bradley Loftin had a complete game with three hits and 11 strikeouts in Game 1.
9. Starkville Academy (30-7) – The Volunteers closed the MAIS Class 5A quarterfinals with a 7-5 Game 3 victory over Simpson Academy. Cooper McNeel led Starkville Academy with three RBIs.
10. East Central (24-5) – The Hornets cruised to a two-game sweep of South Jones in the MHSAA Class 5A quarterfinals. Junior Andrew Marble allowed four hits with 10 strikeouts in Saturday’s 5-0 victory.
