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A look at The Times’ top 25 high school baseball rankings for the Southland after the eighth week of the season:

Rk. School (Rec.); Comment; ranking last week

1. ORANGE LUTHERAN (12-3): Won Boras Classic South championship; 2

2. NORCO (15-2): Transfers Jacob Melendez and Codey Brown making big impact; 3

3. HARVARD-WESTLAKE (14-4): Upcoming three-game series with Sherman Oaks Notre Dame; 5

4. ST. JOHN BOSCO (13-5): Braves got humbled with three-game losing streak; 1

5. HUNTINGTON BEACH (15-4-1): Big week of hitting for Ely Mason; 6

6. CORONA (13-3): Danie De La Torre leads team in hitting at .486; 4

7. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (14-3): It’s final test time versus Harvard-Westlake this week; 7

8. SIERRA CANYON (14-3): Upcoming three-game series with St. Francis; 8

9. LA MIRADA (14-4): If all goes well, Matadores should win out rest of regular season; 9

10. ROYAL (16-2): Dustin Dunwoody’s ERA is 0.18; 10

11. BISHOP ALEMANY (13-4): Upcoming three-game series vs. Chaminade; 11

12. AYALA (15-1): Went 3-1 in Boras Classic; 12

13. CYPRESS (14-5): Holding down first place in tough Crestview League; 13

14. OAKS CHRISTIAN (13-4): Upcoming three-game series vs. Thousand Oaks; 15

15. GANESHA (13-1-1): Westlake inflicted first defeat; 14

16. SOUTH HILLS (14-4): Upcoming three-game series vs. Colony; 16

17. SERVITE (12-6): Upcoming three-game series vs. Mater Dei; 17

18. SANTA MARGARITA (14-5): After week of rest, Eagles face St. John Bosco; 18

19. THOUSAND OAKS (14-4): Andrew Albrecht is 5-0 pitching; 20

20. GAHR (10-9-1): Took Orange Lutheran to eight innings before losing; 22

21. NEWPORT HARBOR (16-6): Rough week playing in Boras Classic; 19

22. FOOTHILL (14-6): Upcoming two-game series with Villa Park; 23

23. CORONA SANTIAGO (12-7): Upcoming three-game series with King; 24

24. AQUINAS (11-7): Made it to Boras Classic semifinals; NR

25. VILLA PARK (13-6-1): 31 hits for Justin Lopez; NR

It was Brady Murrietta’s silence rounding the bases, then his Darth Vader-like stare directed at St. John Bosco pitcher Jack Champlin after touching third base on Thursday and slowly jogging toward home plate that sent a clear message: Don’t poke the bear.

His two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning broke a 3-3 tie and keyed a 5-4 win to prevent the No. 1-ranked Lancers from suffering a three-game Trinity League baseball sweep by No. 2 St. John Bosco.

One day earlier, the intensity level between the two teams reached such a crescendo that after the fiery Champlin got the final out in a 4-1 win at Hart Park, he decided to offer a taunt.

“I was hearing them all game at third base,” Champlin said. “I pointed to the ground and was saying, ‘This is my field.’ A bunch ran out of the dugout toward me and it got bigger than it needed to be.”

There was pushing and shoving as St. John Bosco went nuclear on security for Thursday’s home game, so much so that a security person refused to let a 5-foot-4 sportswriter walk into the Orange Lutheran bullpen after the game until calmer heads prevailed.

Jack Champlin of St. John Bosco is fired up after a two-run triple on Thursday against Orange Lutheran.

(Nick Koza)

The two teams declined to shake hands in a precautionary measure. It was almost comedic, since Orange Lutheran pitcher Gary Morse has played with St. John Bosco pitcher Julian Garcia since they were 8 and texted him Thursday morning to congratulate him on his Wednesday pitching performance. And Murrietta intended to text his friends on the Braves, too.

“It was more to get my boys hyped up,” Murrietta said of staring at Champlin.

Wednesday’s game was particularly important with each team’s ace on the mound. The 6-foot-8 Morse had a 95 mph fastball and gave up two hits and one run with eight strikeouts over six innings. Garcia, who missed his junior season after arm surgery, touched 97 mph while striking out 10 and giving up three hits in six innings. The Braves broke the 1-1 tie with three runs in the seventh inning, keyed by a two-run single from James Clark.

On Tuesday, in St. John Bosco’s 7-4 win, Clark had another big game with two hits and three RBIs.

“Two best teams in the country,” Morse said.

Orange Lutheran (8-3, 1-2) was coming off a championship at the National High School Invitational in North Carolina. It showed off a top pitcher to join Morse in Cooper Sides, a senior transfer from Red Buff who struck out eight in five innings on Thursday in front of dozens of pro scouts.

Asked what he learned about his 11-3 defending Division 1 championship team this week, St. John Bosco coach Andy Rojo said, “I think it continues what we already know that it’s a tough team, a resilient team. We’ve had a lot of high-pressure, high-level games. A ton of one-run games.”

Said Garcia: “It pushed us to show we’re a great team.”

Orange Lutheran coach RJ Farrell saw his team fight back from adversity, and in the Texas-bound Murrietta, he has an MVP candidate capable of igniting the Lancers with his bat, glove and leadership skills.

The two teams could meet again next week during the Boras Classic in Orange County. Otherwise, it would come during a new-look Southern Section Division 1 playoff format that will have 16 teams and start with a best two-out-of-three series to advance. Both teams have shown they have the pitching to advance.

A look at The Times’ top 25 high school baseball rankings for the Southland after the sixth week of the season:

Rk. School (Rec.); Comment; ranking last week

1. ORANGE LUTHERAN (7-1): Gary Morse had 16-strikeout performance; 4

2. ST. JOHN BOSCO (9-2): Three-game series with Orange Lutheran this week; 1

3. NORCO (10-1): Three-game series with King; 5

4. CORONA (9-1): Two home runs from Anthony Murphy; 3

5. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (12-1): 12-game winning streak ends; 2

6. HARVARD-WESTLAKE (10-4): Two home runs in North Carolina for Jake Kim; 6

7. HUNTINGTON BEACH (8-2-1): Dane Cunningham is hitting .458; 7

8. LA MIRADA (11-3): Three-game sweep of Gahr; 17

9. SIERRA CANYON (12-3): 5-2 record in Mission League 9

10. ROYAL (11-1): Dustin Dunwoody is 5-0 with 50 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings and 0.00 ERA; 10

11. AQUINAS (6-2): 13 hits in eight games for Johnny Tena; 11

12. BISHOP ALEMANY (9-4): Warriors finally at full strength; 13

13. AYALA (10-1): Big series with Bonita this week; 18

14. CYPRESS (9-3): 2-0 start in tough Crestview League; 16

15. OAKS CHRISTIAN (10-3): Dane Disney, Carson Sheffer eah have 18 hits; 14

16. SOUTH HILLS (12-2): Took two of three from San Dimas; 15

17. SERVITE (9-4): Took two of three games from Santa Margarita; 24

18. SANTA MARGARITA (12-4): Three-game series with Mater Dei; 12

19. THOUSAND OAKS (12-1): Jake Ange hit two grand slams vs. Calabasas; 20

20. NEWPORT HARBOR (12-2): Big Sunset League series vs. Los Alamitos; 21

21. GANESHA (8-0): Wins over Foothill, Mission Viejo; NR

22. SOUTH TORRANCE (11-1): Headed to San Diego for tournament; 22

23 CORONA SANTIAGO (10-5): Put up strong fight vs. Corona; 25

24. EL DORADO (8-6): Hosting National Classic this week 19

25. GAHR (5-7): Tough schedule taking toll; 8

A look at The Times’ top 25 high school baseball rankings for the Southland after the fifth week of the season:

Rk. School (Rec.); Comment; ranking last week

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-0): Five shutouts in seven games; 1

2. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (10-0): Big week for Malayke Matsumoto; 4

3. CORONA (7-0): Anthony Murphy hits for cycle, then comes close again; 2

4. ORANGE LUTHERAN (3-1): Headed to North Carolina for National Invitational; 3

5. NORCO (7-1): Three-game series with King this week; 5

6. HARVARD-WESTLAKE (8-3): Bishop Alemany exposes pitching issues; 6

7. HUNTINGTON BEACH (7-2-1): 6-0 start in Sunset League; 8

8. GAHR (5-4-1): Three-game series with La Mirada; 7

9. SIERRA CANYON (9-3): Brayden Goldstein has become a top hitter; 9

10. ROYAL (9-1): Sixteen-strikeout performance from Dustin Dunwoody vs. Simi Valley; 10

11. AQUINAS (6-0): Three-game sweep of Arrowhead Christian; 11

12. SANTA MARGARITA (9-2): Freshman Cooper Holland provides lift after losing Brody Schumaker to injury; 12

13. BISHOP ALEMANY (8-3): Warriors about to get stronger by adding Mikey Martinez on Friday; NR

14. OAKS CHRISTIAN (8-2): Opens Marmonte League vs. Newbury Park; 15

15. SOUTH HILLS (10-1): Big series vs. San Dimas this week; 16

16. CYPRESS (8-3): League showdown this week with Foothill; 17

17. LA MIRADA (8-2): Kaden Corns is 3-0 with 2.17 ERA; 18

18. AYALA (8-1): Three-game series with Glendora; 19

19. EL DORADO (8-5): Xavi Cadena has four home runs; 14

20. THOUSAND OAKS (10-0): Three-game series vs. Calabasas; 21

21. NEWPORT HARBOR (9-2): Took two of three from Corona del Mar; 22

22. SOUTH TORRANCE (10-0): Two-game series with El Segundo this week; 24

23. FOOTHILL (9-3): Pitching has been outstanding; NR

24. SERVITE (7-3): Three-game series with Santa Margarita this week; NR

25. CORONA SANTIAGO (9-2): Striker Pence is contributing with his arm and bat; NR