Hit or Miss: Jen Blanco

Braden River senior softball player Kally Martin was in position to be the hero. 

With fellow senior Linda Ross reminding her to stay calm, Martin came to the plate at a key moment of Braden River's 7-6 victory over Lakewood Ranch on April 5.

Tied 6-6 in the seventh inning, the Pirates picked up the winning run when Martin, who had been in a four-game hitting slump, blooped a single into the outfield.

It was a shining moment for Martin, who played for Lakewood Ranch the first two years of her varsity softball career.

“We look forward to this game all year,” Martin said of the rivalry game. “It’s just a whole different feeling than any other game. The rivalry is personal to all of us.”

With the prominence of the two programs, the Braden River-Lakewood Ranch softball showdowns have become one of southwest Florida's most intense rivalries. Many of the players on both teams compete on the same squads during travel ball.

The two teams split this year's two-game series. Lakewood Ranch handed Braden River its first loss of the season with a 10-6 victory back on March 15 only to see the Pirates get revenge three weeks later. 

For the first time in three years, Braden River and Lakewood won’t be meeting in the postseason after landing in different districts, making the April 5 game bittersweet for the two programs' six seniors, who have spent the past four years building up the rivalry.

“It was sad,” Braden River senior Bethaney Keen said. “There are a few girls on Lakewood Ranch who I played with on travel, and knowing I'm not going to face most of them again is emotional. Everyone, including myself, wanted that game so bad, and I'm glad I got to end my last rivalry game in victory.” 

While this season’s contests were strictly about bragging rights, the players didn’t approach the game any differently. 

Word began circulating around Twitter in the days leading up to the game, as players from both schools encouraged friends and classmates to show their support. It’s that enthusiasm among players and fans that has made Braden River and Lakewood Ranch a must-see rivalry game. 

“The game itself is always so loud and fun that it makes it one of the most memorable games of the season,” said Lakewood Ranch catcher Maddie Biggs said. 

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David Ojeda may only be a freshman, but Braden River’s No. 1 singles player has proven to be the Pirates’ missing link this season. 

Ojeda, who only lost one singles and one doubles match during the regular season, won his singles match in straight sets to help propel Braden River to the Class 3A-Region 5 title and a berth in the Class 3A state tournament April 13 through April 15, at Sanlando Park, in Altamonte Springs, for the first time since 2009.

“The addition of David Ojeda was a huge stabilizing factor for the boys,” coach James Straub said. “He is very coachable and plays smart. He set the bar high and hits it.”

He already had clinched a spot in the Class 3A individual singles tournament after winning the Class 3A-District 10 title March 30. 

Now Ojeda will have the chance to play alongside his friends with the hopes of pulling out another victory, not only for himself, but for his teammates as well.