SBLive Nebraska Top 25 high school baseball rankings (May 3)

The postseason is upon us

By Nathan Charles

The hay is in the barn, so to speak, in terms of how the postseason path will shape up for Nebraska high school baseball teams. There are some favorites inside the top 10 with a chance to host the district tournament and a few surprises. Bellevue West and Creighton Prep would be the latter. Bell West was expected to have a good year but this might be a little ahead of schedule. Prep looked like it was destined to hang around .500 until hitting a stride recently. 

1. Lincoln East (25-4, Last Week #2) 

Won 4-3 vs. Skutt, Won 12-2 vs. Northeast, Won 4-3 at Millard South, Won 7-3 vs. Millard West

East and Millard West continue to swap spots at the top, and this week it’s the Spartans returning to No. 1 thanks to another win over the Wildcats. Both contests, which have been decided by an aggregate score of 14-5, have featured big starts for East and comfortable leads. Troy Peltz, Joey Senstock, Owen Laessig and Mason Gaines have relished the opportunity. Those four are a combined 10 for 27 (.370) with nine RBIs and four runs scored in the two games.

This Week: District Tournament

2. Millard West (27-5, Last Week #1)

Won 11-1 at Burke, Won 7-3 vs. Millard North, Won 7-2 vs. Papio South, Lost 7-3 vs. East, Won 13-7 at Papio South

The Wildcats wrap up the regular season with one of the highest win totals in the state but have yet to solve the riddle that is Lincoln East. The Spartans plated seven runs both times and had all seven runs on the board before the Wildcats finally answered back. Right now East has the edge but both times the Spartans faced multiple Millard West pitchers and avoided Drew Deremer, Jackson Williams and Ben Sterbens.

This Week: District Tournament

3. Elkhorn South (23-7, Last Week #3)

Won 5-4 vs. Millard South, Won 7-1 at Omaha Northwest, Won 9-1 vs. Columbus, Lost 9-4 at Grand Island, Won 16-7 at Grand Island, Won 8-7 vs. Gretna

A 5-1 mark since the last list of ratings means Elkhorn South has won nine of its last 10. Six of those nine have come against the top 10. Although much of the championship conversation is spent on East and Millard West, South should be right there as well despite going 0-3 against those two teams. The lineup hasn’t been real consistent and hits just .305, but it also has stolen 98 bases, the gloves are fielding the ball at .939 and the pitching staff has a 2.41 ERA.

This Week: District Tournament

4. Gretna (20-8 Last Week #5)

Lost 10-2 vs. Norris, Won 3-2 vs. Millard South, Won 4-2 vs. Papio, Lost 11-6 vs. Southeast, Won 8-2 vs. Elkhorn, Lost 8-7 vs. Elkhorn South

Gretna has a weird set of results that include going 2-0 against No. 2 Millard West but 0-2 against No. 3 Elkhorn South. The Dragons have also had to play bridesmaid three times after losing in the semifinals of the Metro Tournament and last weekend’s Bell West Tournament to go with a title game loss in the Papio Tournament.

This Week: District Tournament

5. Millard South (20-12, Last Week #4)

Lost 5-4 at Elkhorn South, Lost 3-2 at Gretna, Won 13-3 vs. Westside, Lost 4-3 vs. East, Won 13-7 vs. Papio South, Won 11-0 vs. Westview

The Patriots ended the season with a tough stretch that had four top-10 teams and three in the top five. Each of the three losses were by just one run, but there’s hardly any consolation in coming close over and over. Millard South had already lost three in a row when it dropped two more to Elkhorn South and Gretna. The Patriots are 4-6 in their last 10, and all six losses were by a single run. One would assume that kind of luck will turn around eventually.

This Week: District Tournament

6. Lincoln Pius X (15-8, Last Week #8)

Won 8-5 vs. Waverly, Won 2-0 at Norfolk, Lost 11-2 vs. Skutt

Pius is taking it on the chin when the Thunderbolts lose most of their games. The 11-2 loss to Skutt follows a trend that has seen Pius also lose 15-10 to Papio, 10-4 to East, 18-7 to Norris and 11-0 to Elkhorn South. That kind of sporadic play normally means shallow pitching depth or less than quality outings by the dugout. In the case of Pius, four of the five pitchers who have tossed 12 innings or more have an ERA under 3.00. But behind those four there are seven pitchers with ERAs higher than 6.00.

This Week: Tuesday at Fremont, District Tournament

7. Papillion-La Vista South (17-10, Last Week #9)

Won 19-0 vs. Buena Vista, Won 3-2 vs. Burke, Won 5-1 at Westside, Won 14-8 vs. Prep, Lost 7-2 vs. Millard West, Lost 13-7 vs. Millard South, Lost 13-7 vs. Millard West

A win over Prep was a great way to start a loaded tournament, but there were signs of trouble. The Titans won despite five errors. They committed four more in the first loss to Millard West, had six against Millard South and then ran out of pitching in the rematch with the Wildcats.

This Week: Tuesday at Skutt, District Tournament

8. Bellevue West (18-8, Last Week #6)

Lost 6-5 (8 Inn.) vs. Fremont, Won 9-0 at Bellevue East, Won 10-0 vs. Papio, Lost 2-1 vs. Westside

A loss to Fremont meant Bellevue West had to play through the consolation bracket of its home tournament. It also cost the Thunderbirds in the power points standings. As we await district assignments, Bellevue West is seventh and one spot out of earning a chance to host in the postseason.

This Week: District Tournament

9. Creighton Prep (16-12, Last Week #12)

Won 7-4 vs. Central, Won 10-0 vs. Southwest, Lost 14-8 vs. Papio South, Won 6-5 vs. Millard North, Won 7-5 at Burke

Winning four of five ties Prep’s best stretch of the season. The one setback was due to nine walks and four errors against Papio South that put Prep in a 10-2 hole. The Junior Jays bounced back from a difficult start at just the right time and are hanging onto one of the final district host opportunities.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Millard North, District Tournament

10. Lincoln Southeast (16-10, Last Week #10)

Lost 3-1 at Columbus, Won 13-3 vs. Omaha Central, Won 11-6 vs. Gretna, Lost 4-3 vs. Fremont

The pitching staff held Gretna to just five hits while the lineup overcame an early 3-0 deficit with five in the bottom of the second. That gave Southeast its first top-five win of the season. But 24 hours later the Knights lost to a team below .500 for the second time in four games.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Lincoln High, District Tournament

11. Elkhorn North (19-5, Last Week #14)

Won 6-2 vs. Blair, Won 7-0 vs. Kearney, Won 15-2 at Lincoln Northwest, Lost 8-7 at Norris

Elkhorn North kept the streak alive and impressed with a 7-0 shutout of Kearney then suffered a disappointing loss to Norris after falling behind 7-1. The Wolves tied it in the sixth but then watched the Titans walk it off in the bottom of the seventh. Ryan Harrahill struck out 14 and gave up just two hits in the win over Kearney.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Omaha Burke, Friday vs. Nebraska City/Bennington

12. Omaha Westside (13-13, Last Week #7)

Lost 5-1 vs. Papio, Lost 13-3 vs. Millard South, Won 6-5 (9 Inn.) vs. Northeast, Won 2-1 vs. Bellevue West

Not a great stretch for the Warriors. The win over Bellevue West broke a string of nine losses in a row to teams above .500.

This Week: District Tournament

13. Norris (21-8, Last Week #17)

Won 10-2 at Gretna, Won 11-1 vs. Bennington, Won 7-2 at Waverly, Won 8-7 vs. Elkhorn North

It took a few weeks for Norris to hit its stride but suddenly the Titans are unbeatable. Norris put together six innings with three or more runs over the past week and has won eight in a row.

This Week: District Tournament

14. Lincoln Southwest (15-11, Last Week #13)

Lost 10-0 at Prep, Won 6-2 vs. Grand Island, Lost 7-5 vs. Kearney, Won 17-12 vs. Northeast

Southwest built some momentum for this weekend, winning six of its final seven games. Outside of a loss to Columbus in the first game of the season, the Silver Hawks have only suffered losses to teams higher in the ratings.

This Week: District Tournament

15. Grand Island (11-8, Last Week #11)

Lost 6-2 at Southwest, Won 9-4 vs. Elkhorn South, Lost 16-7 vs. Elkhorn South, Won 13-2 at Columbus

Grand Island continues to slip back after an 8-2 start. A shutout of Omaha South ended a four-game skid but the Islanders split the week and were in danger of losing at Columbus were it not for 11 runs in the top of the seventh. It seems Grand Island’s postseason hopes hinge on regaining its level of play from early in the season.

This Week: District Tournament

16. Wahoo/Neumann/Lincoln Lutheran (19-3, Last Week #18)

Won 11-1 vs. Lincoln Northwest, Won 5-1 at DC West, Won 21-10 at Concordia, Won 7-6 vs. Platteview

Wahoo responded to the loss to Malcolm with four straight wins and some of the highest offensive totals of the season. Perhaps was the resilience the Cavaliers showed in the win over Platteview. The Trojans trailed 6-0 after four innings.

This Week: District Tournament

17. Elkhorn (14-3, Last Week #16)

Won 2-0 vs. Gross, Won 7-3 vs. Bellevue East, Lost 15-7 vs. Fremont, Lost 8-2 vs. Gretna, Lost 9-3 vs. Central City

The Antlers defeated one of the best teams in their class and took down a Class A team but then stumbled to the finish line with three straight blowout losses. Any slipups the rest of the way likely mean the end of the season. Three losses in a row essentially knocked Elkhorn out of wildcard potential.

This Week: Thursday vs. Lincoln Northwest, Friday District Final

18. Gross Catholic (13-6, Last Week #15)

Lost 2-0 at Elkhorn, Won 6-5 vs. Mount Michael, Won 11-5 vs. Skutt, Won 17-6 vs. Ralston, Lost 10-9 at Waverly

The win over Skutt gave Gross the River Cities Conference Championship. Alex Kosse gave up four runs in the first inning but then settled down and went five. A five-run sixth broke it open. As enjoyable as that was, losses to Elkhorn and Waverly made it a bittersweet week overall.

This Week: Tuesday vs. Arlington, Friday vs. Blair/Ralston

19. Skutt Catholic (10-8, Last Week #19)

Lost 4-3 at East, Won 9-2 vs. Roncalli, Lost 11-5 at Gross, Won 11-2 at Pius X

The win over Pius was a huge result in giving Skutt one of the six home sites for the district round. It was the third win over a Class A program and a big bounce back following a loss in the River Cities Conference Championship.

This Week: Thursday vs. South Sioux, Friday District Championship

20. Beatrice (12-8, Last Week #20)

Won 4-1 vs. Omaha South

The cancellation of a game against Bennington on Friday cost Beatrice an opportunity to get a win over a team above .500 and likely made the difference in district sites. A win and the Orangemen probably play at home. Instead, they have a first-round game and go on the road.

This Week: Thursday vs. Crete, Friday District Championship

21. Columbus (10-12, Last Week #21)

Won 3-1 vs. Southeast, Lost 9-1 at Elkhorn South, Won 13-2 vs. Grand Island

Southeast was the best win of the season but then Columbus followed it up by committing three errors at Elkhorn South and giving up 11 runs in the top of the seventh against Grand Island.

This Week: Tuesday at Omaha North, District Tournament

22. Malcolm (21-2, Last Week #25)

Won 11-7 at Raymond Central, Won 16-1 vs. Falls City, Won 15-7 vs. Wayne

The Clippers couldn’t be much hotter as they head to the playoffs. Malcolm scored a total of 48 runs in four games last week. If the Clippers make state, and they’ll be the favorites in Class C, it will break a drought that goes back to 1942.

This Week: Thursday vs. St. Paul or Concordia

23. Bellevue East (14-15, Last Week #22)

Lost 4-2 at Kearney, Lost 7-3 at Elkhorn, Lost 9-0 vs. Bellevue West, Won 2-1 vs. Omaha Central, Won 18-0 vs. Benson

The losing skid reached four in a row when three different Chieftain pitchers combined to allow just two hits in the win over Central. Bell West took advantage of eight walks and five stolen bases vs. Benson.

This Week: Tuesday vs. North Star, District Tournament

24. Blair (13-9, Last Week #23)

Lost 6-2 at Elkhorn North, Won 13-1 vs. Lincoln Northwest

A canceled game Friday against DC West would have given Blair a better opponent but scoring 13 runs can sure jolt the confidence for the postseason.

This Week: Thursday vs. Ralston, Friday District Final

25. Platte Valley (13-8, Last Week #24)

Won 5-4 (8 Inn.) at Arlington, Lost 7-0 at Plattsmouth, Lost 6-0 at Wayne

Platte Valley was one of the more consistent teams early in the season but heads into the district round coming off a rough patch. The program hasn’t been shut out in back-to-back games in several seasons. Even so, the season was strong enough to earn one of the six hosting sites for the district tournament.

This Week: Friday vs. Beatrice/Crete