The high school baseball season has passed the midway point in the state of Florida.
In the Ocala area, baseball teams have played more than a dozen games, giving us a solid sample size of what each team is capable of as the postseason quickly approaches.
Below is a look at where each Ocala-area baseball team ranks in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s (FHSAA) rankings, which were last released on March 17.
FHSAA baseball rankings for Marion County teams
Trinity Catholic
Record: 11-3
FHSAA ranking: No. 56 in state, No. 14 in Class 2A
The Celtics have gone 3-1 against fellow Marion County teams to open the season, including wins over Forest and North Marion.
Gavin Greathouse leads Trinity Catholic’s batting efforts with a team-leading .452 average, 19 hits and 17 RBIs.
On the mound, Oakley Hayhurst (25.1 IP, 30 Ks, 2.49 ERA) , Tucker Crowley (13.1 IP, 11 Ks, 2.10 ERA) and Nate Colon (16.1 IP, 24 Ks, 3.43 ERA) lead the charge for the Celtics.
Vanguard
Record: 12-2
FHSAA ranking: No. 82, No. 8 in Class 4A
Up until a recent loss to Forest, Vanguard was on a roll as the Knights had won five straight and was undefeated against in-county competition.
Pacing Vanguard from the plate have been Brody Katich, JJ Thomas and Spencer Payne — all of whom are batting .340 or higher this season. Payne leads the team with 17 RBIs and a pair of home runs.
Payne has also had a big role on the bump, pitching 21 innings, striking out 46 and maintaining a 0.67 ERA. Meanwhile, Martin McKinney has also carried a load of 29.1 innings pitched with 43 strikeouts and a 1.19 ERA.
North Marion
Record: 8-6
FHSAA ranking: No. 121, No. 16 in Class 3A
Don’t be fooled by North Marion’s mundane-looking record as that 8-6 record has come against a tough schedule that ranks among the top 30 in the state. Against fellow Marion County teams, the Colts are 2-1 with wins against Forest and Dunnellon, and a loss to Trinity Catholic.
Tucker Jones leads North Marion’s offensive effort with a team-leading .387 average, while also knocking six RBIs and two home runs. Wally Lasher (.273 avg.) and CJ Sayler (.200 avg.) are tied for the team’s high in RBIs with eight apiece.
From the mound, Sayler has been the Colts’ leader with 20.1 innings pitched, 21 strikeouts and a 2.41 ERA. Brandon Keen has also been a staple on the rubber, pitching 13.1 innings, notching 16 strikeouts and posting a 3.15 ERA.
Belleview
Record: 9-4
FHSAA ranking: No. 285, No. 40 in Class 5A
Following a sub-.500 season last year, the Rattlers are on pace to finish this season with a winning record as they sit at 9-4, including a four-game win streak. Having played just two in-county opponents so far, Belleview has gone 1-1 against Marion County teams.
Gilbehert Mendoza leads the Rattlers’ offense with a .389 average and 14 RBIs — leading the team in both categories. Meanwhile, Belleview’s freshman tandem of Logan Chen (.385 avg., 11 RBIs, HR) and Jamere Frymire (.351, 8 RBIs) have also contributed for the Rattlers.
From the rubber, it’s been Larry Quartararo leading the way for Belleview with 22 innings pitched, 42 strikeouts and a 2.55 ERA.
Forest
Record: 5-10
FHSAA ranking: No. 364, No. 54 in Class 6A
It’s been a roller coaster-of-a-season for Forest so far as the Wildcats have strung together runs of wins and runs of losses. Most recently, it’s been a small run of wins for the ‘Cats as they posted lopsided wins over Seven Rivers Christian and rival Vanguard.
David Ames and Ryan Cushenberry are both hitting above .359 while combining for 11 RBIs. Cushenberry, along with Samuel Baderschneider, lead Forest in RBIs with seven apiece.
Pitching wise, the Wildcats have taken a by-committee approach with four different arms seeing more than 10 innings of action. Jason Rodriguez has spent the most amount of time on the mound with 14 IP, while tallying 10 strikeouts and a 1.50 ERA. Hayden Rickman (11.2 IP, 11 Ks, 2.40 ERA) and Brooks Kilcrease (13.2 IP, 12 Ks, 6.66 ERA) have also had big roles on the rubber.
Where Marion County’s other baseball teams rank
Saint John Lutheran: No. 373, No. 34 in Class 1A
Dunnellon: No. 441, No. 55 in Class 4A
Lake Weir: No. 501, No. 64 in Class 4A
West Port: No. 527, No. 74 in Class 7A
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala-area high school baseball | Where each team ranks in FHSAA rankings
Reporting by Ainslie Lee, Gainesville Sun / Ocala Star-Banner
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
