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High School  | General | 3/5/2023

IMG Claims Showdown 3-Peat

Photo: IMG Ascenders (Perfect Game)




Hoover feels like home for IMG: Ascenders Capture Back-to-Back-to-Back Titles
 
Hoover, Ala. -- A really anticipated matchup between two titanic programs, IMG Ascenders and Houston County, finally came together in the Blue Championship Game. After a close game through three innings IMG would put up eleven in the 4th inning to put the game away and bring home the hardware.
 
The 1st inning started off hot with Houston County getting a single from Drew Burress, followed by a loud double off the bat of three-hole hitter Andrew Dunford. Dunford’s double coming off a 90 mph fastball. Troy Carpenter would hit a ground ball to drive in Burress. IMG would respond in the bottom half after they worked a couple walks and then got a single from TayShaun Walton to drive in the first run. Stone Russell followed Walton with a sacrifice fly to take the lead 2-to-1, a lead they would not surrender.
 
IMG Starter Noah Franco and Houston County starter Brooks Willis would exchange a couple of zero frames before IMG’s enormous 4th inning.
 
The scoring started with a one out triple by Andre Modugno that rattled off the rightfield wall. Dean Moss and Zion Ross had a single in the inning with Jackson LaLima notching two singles in the inning. The biggest blow was Walton though. He unloaded on an opposite field triple to score three runs and put a cap in the monstrous eleven run inning.
 
Franco settled down after the 1st inning and dominated the next three innings giving up just a single hit in his final three innings. He finished the day throwing four innings and striking out five batters.
 
IMG scored 38 runs during the Championship run before knocking off Nationally ranked Houston County.
 
Houston County knocked off Nationally ranked North Broward Prep and returning champion Central on the way to the championship game.
 
MVP-Player – TayShaun Walton
MV-Pitcher – Cameron Johnson
 
Other Notables From Day 3


Hunter Baynes, RHP, 2023; IMG Academy (Fla.)
Baynes only got an inning of work, but it was a really good one as he came out throwing strikes with pretty easy gas. It was 90-92, bumping 93, and his longer arm stroke/extended release gives it really good carry up in the zone. He showed a hard-diving changeup and he can spin it a bit, but the ability to miss bats like he did with the fastball is notable and there’s great upside.
 
Lawson Williams, 1B, 2024; Hartselle (Ala.)
Williams stood out a bit with the bat in a Hartselle lineup that is chalked full of talented left-handed hitters. He’s physical and there’s obvious strength in the swing, which he showed with multiple extra-base hits over the course of the weekend and he added a bomb on the final day. Given the consistency of the bat over the course of facing solid arms and the impact he has, he could be an interesting follow as a still uncommitted junior.

Grant Breaux, RHP, 2024; Catholic BR (La.)
Breaux didn’t have overly great results against a loaded Parkview lineup, but he looks the part of one of the better underclass arms in the region. It’s a long and projectable body with a loose and fast arm, with the arm speed to project much more velocity, and he’s already pitching in the 87-90 range with good life to the fastball. He gets over the front side well on the breaking ball and gets late snap off the fastball plane and overall, the components give him pretty huge upside as everything really clicks over the next year.

 
Eli Tidwell, SS, 2023; Hartselle (Ala.)
Tidwell is one of those established guys in this lineup that really makes it go and he was pretty impressive over the course of the event, hitting up over .400 including a monster bomb that cleared the right-center wall at the Met by a good margin. It’s an athletic profile and the feel to hit stands out while he can make some impressive moves with the lower half to get the barrel out with big intent and let the strength/bat speed go to work on impacting the ball pull side.
 
Josh Hanson, OF, 2024; IMG Academy (Fla.)
Hanson is obviously very established given he’s committed to USC and is ranked in the top 300 in the country, but I think he’s got the components to pop a bit more. He took some really good swings in the late game on the final day and it’s super well-rounded in terms of boxes checked. He’s physical now but has good athleticism, albeit probably in a corner long-term, and it’s a good swing with the bat speed and overall feel to hit that bodes well for the future.
 

High School | General | 3/5/2026

High School Notebook: March 5

Steve Fiorindo
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Full BP & pregame I/O from ‘26 SS Keon Johnson. Whippy hands and lifted to the middle of the field throughout the rounds, athletic mover on the dirt & enough arm strength to stick on the left side. #4 in @PG_Georgia & #50 on the @PG_Draft Board. #PGHS @FPDVikingSports https://t.co/vYvReQKTVh pic.twitter.com/BksHJtA09X — Cam McElwaney (@CamMcElwaneyPG) February 20, 2026 Keon Johnson, SS, First Presbyterian Day Johnson has long been near the top of the 2026 rankings and it all culminated in being a PG All-American last August. He heads into the spring as one of the names to know in the upcoming MLB Draft and is drawing crowds to his high school in Macon. It’s a well-built 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame with good actions up the middle. The defensive acumen has continued to improve over the last few years and now looks comfortable at shortstop and even projects there...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 3/4/2026

Perfect Game Softball March Madness

Ashley Mears
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2026 Perfect Game March Madness February 27-March 1st Ashley Mears What a weekend at the Fun City Dome in Burlington, Iowa! The energy was electric from first pitch to final out towering home runs, edge-of-your-seat battles, dramatic comebacks, and extra-inning thrillers with some unpredictable endings, it was a great weekend all around. The Top Performers list welcomed some exciting new names, while seasoned seniors continued to cement their legacies, delivering standout performances week after week. For some, this may have been their final appearance on a Perfect Game stage, and they made sure it was unforgettable. In the 18u division a tough Nebraska Gold 319 Berning team outlasted the Southeast Iowa All Stars in the championship. In 16u the Top Gun 2028- Strange completed their weekend by beating the Iowa Aries 16U CE Fire Black. 18U The weekend’s Most Valuable Player award...
College | Rankings | 3/4/2026

DII/DIII/NAIA Rankings Update: March 4

Nick Herfordt
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The 2026 college baseball season is starting to reveal its early storylines, and across the Division II and Division III landscape a few programs have already forced their way into the spotlight. From the blistering start by the Pittsburg State Gorillas baseball that rocketed them to the top of the rankings, to the steadily rising championship ambitions of the Taylor Trojans baseball, the national picture is beginning to take shape. In Division III, heavyweight programs like the Trinity Tigers baseball and the Wisconsin–Whitewater Warhawks baseball have already traded blows in one of the season’s first statement series, while emerging challengers such as the Keene State Owls baseball are looking to turn early momentum into a breakout year. With many teams still just getting their seasons underway, the rankings remain fluid, but the early results are already giving us clues...
Juco | Rankings | 3/4/2026

JUCO Top 25: March 4

Troy Sutherland
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Another week down as we get into conference play in parts of the nation. This week is led by Chipola at No. 1 with an impressive 24-1 record. Walters State drops to No. 2 at 16-3 and Florida SouthWestern State College (17-5) follows closely behind. Powerhouse programs  McLennan Community College (11-2) and Johnson County Community College (18-2) round out the top five, while one-loss teams Fresno City, Ohlone, and Cloud County are quickly climbing into the national conversation. With traditional Texas powers, West Coast contenders, and deep Florida Juco rosters all in the mix, the race for Grand Junction is already taking shape.   Rk. Team Record 1 Chipola (FL) 24-1 2 Walters State (TN) 16-3 3 Florida Southwestern (FL) 17-5 4 McLennan (TX) 11-2 5 Johnson County (KS) 18-2 6 Gaston (NC) 20-2 7 Blinn (TX) 12-6 8 Florence-Darlington (SC) 18-5 9 Northwest Florida (FL) 16-8 10...
High School | Rankings | 3/3/2026

High School Top 50 Update: March 3

Tyler Russo
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As we get rolling deeper into the spring here in the southern states, other states are only a few weeks away from their seasons beginning and some are even starting the day this will be posted. We’ve concluded the first major event on the high school schedule, the PG High School Showdown, and it was an epic weekend in Hoover. The event was littered with talent and these rankings reflect just that. St. John Bosco (CA) holds onto the first spot in this update and are being pushed by an IMG Academy (FL) team that’s 8-0 after winning the High School Showdown as well as beating two preseason top-10 teams in the first few weeks of the season. Orange Lutheran (CA) holds onto the No. 3 spot after a 1-0 start to the year and just a few weeks away from NHSI. A trio of Florida schools follow Olu in South Walton (FL), fresh off a win at the HS Showdown, Venice (FL), a surging team...
Press Release | Press Release | 3/3/2026

PG & RaceTrac Expand Partnership

Perfect Game Staff
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  667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   PERFECT GAME AND RACETRAC ANNOUNCE EXPANDED PARTNERSHIP   Sanford, Florida (Tuesday, March 3, 2026) - Perfect Game, the world’s largest youth baseball and softball platform and scouting service, today announced an expanded partnership with RaceTrac, naming the convenience store brand the Official Convenience Store of Perfect Game in Georgia and Florida. The enhanced relationship significantly broadens RaceTrac’s presence across Perfect Game’s premier tournament venues and digital platforms, deepening its engagement with players, families, coaches and fans throughout two of the most active youth baseball markets in the country.   As part of the expanded agreement, RaceTrac will launch a robust...
College | Story | 3/3/2026

College Players of the Week: March 3

Craig Cozart
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March 3 Perfect Game/Player of the Week:  Cider Canon, OF, Duke  The Duke Blue Devils (11-3) went through massive changes in the offseason, with a new coaching staff and heavy roster turnover like is often seen in the college game today.  That hasn’t held them back as they have kind of flown under the radar on their way to a tie for the most wins in the nation.  They won 4 out 5 games last week and Cider Canon was the driving force behind their offensive onslaught.  The 5-11/180 outfielder from San Marino, CA put together an incredible week collecting 9 hits in 14 at-bats, good for a .643 BA, scoring 7 runs, with 3 walks, 4 home runs and driving in a total of 10 runs.  After a successful couple years at Davidson College, Cider made the trip north to Durham and has fit right into the Blue Devil’s high-octane offense.  For the season, he is...
High School | General | 3/2/2026

HS Showdown Scout Notes: Days 2-3

Vincent Cervino
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High School Showdown Event Page | High School Showdown Preview High School Showdown Scout Notes: Day 1 An extended look at ‘26 3B/RHP Coleman Borthwick (FL)… 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 8 K, 0 BB #PGShowdown @SWseahawks @Florida_PG @PG_Draft https://t.co/IHJFWFbn4T pic.twitter.com/I2izGcEdyA — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) February 28, 2026 Coleman Borthwick (2026, Freeport, Fla.) was excellent over the weekend, securing MVP honors and delivering one of the best starts of the event on the mound. At 6-foot-6, 255-pounds, Borthwick is an ultra-physical prospect and one of the top two-way prospects in the draft. The Auburn signee drew the biggest crowd of MLB scouts in attendance as there were around 50 or 60 so lined up behind home plate on Friday morning. Borthwick was nothing short of dominant, striking out eight hitters and...
College | Rankings | 3/2/2026

College Top 25: March 2

Vincent Cervino
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Three weeks in and we are beginning to see some separation across the country.  The quality and depth, or lack thereof, are becoming evident and the conference segment for several conferences starts up this weekend.  Midweek games continue to be a tossup and only the teams that are strong on both sides of the ball have been able to maintain momentum.  We have a new No. 1 in this week’s poll as UCLA (9-2) has already accumulated 5-wins against teams that are currently or were previously ranked in the Top 25.  With last weekend’s sweep of No. 17 Tennessee (8-3), Texas A&M (10-1) and No. 4 Mississippi State (11-1) at the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series, the Bruins leap now No. 2 LSU (11-1) and No. 3 Georgia Tech (11-1) to take over the top spot.  The Texas Longhorns (11-0) are up to No. 5 as one of only 3-remaining undefeated teams in the nation,...
High School | General | 2/27/2026

HS Showdown Scout Notes: Day 1

Tyler Russo
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High School Showdown Event Page | High School Showdown Preview ‘27 1B Frank Thomas (FL) goes liftoff once again for 2nd HR, again in the L on L. Leveraging w/ such easy juice. #PGShowdown @IMGABaseball @Florida_PG https://t.co/BgWiDyMiMo pic.twitter.com/IC6sdAkhmT — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) February 26, 2026 Frank Thomas III (2027, Sarasota, Fl.) was all over a breaking ball in the first inning of an IMG Academy offensive explosion, making it back-to-back-to-back homers to start the game. He did not turn back from there, homering on two more occasions. The ball explodes off the barrel with low effort strength and he showed the ability to manipulate the barrel to lift with authority. Thomas III is built strong and physical and he is just beginning to tap into that huge power upside. He showed no issues handling left on left matchups, with his first two homers coming...
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