Leading off today: Mamaroneck is the only defending NYSPHSAA baseball champion topping a class in the first New York State Sportswriters Association rankings of the season.

   The Tigers got the nod in Class AA Monroe from the PSAL after beginning the week with a 7-2 record. Other top-ranked squads are Maine-Endwell (Class A), Southampton (B), Frewsburg (C) and Hamilton (D).

   The complete baseball rankings can be found here.

   In the inaugural softball rankings of the season, Mechanicville (B), Rhinebeck (C) and Afton (D) are all starting off at No. 1 as they seek to defend New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships. The other No. 1 squads are Tottenville (AA) and Pearl River (A).

   The complete softball rankings can be found here.

   By the way, there are 20 schools with teams ranked in both baseball and softball this week. No school has teams ranked in the four spring sports (boys and girls lacrosse are the others) for which the NYSSWA does ratings.

   Chapel Field loses ace: Chapel Field junior pitcher Lindsay Karl has been dropped from the roster of the state's No. 20 Class C softball team, The Times Herald-Record reported.

   Coach Bill Spanjer Jr. told the paper the school removed Karl "because of a discipline issue in school." Freshman Jessica Graham pitched for Chapel Field in an 11-10 win yesterday vs. Eldred.

   Karl, a transfer from Minisink Valley, was batting .750 with a 3-1 record on the mound. She hit .408 for Minisink Valley last season.

   Penn Relays: It's Penn Relays weekend in Philadelphia, and three of New York's distance stars will be front-and-

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center in the 3,000 meters.

   In the boys race, Fayetteville-Manlius standout Alex Hatz, Jake Hurysz of North Carolina and Jamaican prodigy Kemoy Campbell of Jamaica are scheduled to clash.

   Hatz was the nation’s fastest indoor miler this season, and Hurysz won the Arcadia (Calif.) Invitational 3,200 in 8:49.76. Campbell has stunning bests of 3:42.57 for 1,500, 8:33.7 for 3,000 and 14:18.55 for 5,000.

   In the girls division, defending mile champ Chelsey Sveinsson of Texas, Roslyn senior Emily Lipari and Cornwall junior Aisling Cuffe are the big names. Sveinsson placed fourth in the mile two years ago as a freshman and then won it last year.

   Lipari, fifth a year ago at Penn, is coming off a 4:42.64 indoor mile this season and is the early U.S., outdoor leader in the 3,000 at 9:46.74). Cuffe won the state indoor meet in 9:36.95, the fastest time in the country.