COMMENT: East squads face best in 2011 quests

Practice makes perfect.

And what better way to practice than by facing some of the top teams in the state and nation?

This spring, the Braden River and Lakewood Ranch High baseball and softball teams and The Out-of-Door Academy baseball team have sought out the stiffest competition they can find in the hopes of better preparing themselves for next month’s district and regional tournaments.

So far, their hard work appears to be paying off.

The Lady Pirates sit atop the district standings just ahead of the Lady Mustangs.

Meanwhile, the Mustangs and Thunder currently are in second place in their respective districts with one district loss apiece.

Last week, the Pirates and Mustangs both competed in a series of in-state tournaments, while the Thunder hosted last year’s Oklahoma state champion and Pennsylvania’s state runner-up.

The Braden River and Lakewood Ranch softball teams competed in the Home of Champions Softball Tournament in Bartow. The Lady Pirates and Lady Mustangs each played four games over the course of the two-day tournament. Both teams finished a respectable 3-1 — their lone loss coming at the bats of host Bartow, which advanced to the regional finals last spring.

Across the diamond, the Braden River and Lakewood Ranch baseball teams saw their share of stiff competition at the Sarasota Baseball Classic. The 32-team tournament featured teams from across the state, including four teams who advanced to last year’s regional finals.

The Mustangs finished third in the Elite bracket with a 3-1 record and had three players named to the All-Tournament team.

Braden River and Lakewood Ranch have been particularly successful in tournaments this season.
ODA has taken a different approach to increasing its competitive edge by facing off against some of the nation’s top teams. The Thunder already have hosted two state championship-caliber teams this season, and the team is scheduled to host teams from New York and Ohio over the next three weeks.

Now, it’s up to the teams to see if they can keep their competitive spirits in tact.