The first day of competition at the Kissimmee Klassic didn’t disappoint.
In one of the longest running—and most prestigious—high school tournaments in the nation, the Kissimmee Klassic in Osceola, Florida has teams in the Extra Inning Softball High School Rankings and many players in the Extra Elite 100 player ratings.
Here are some of the highlights from Thursday’s action…
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BLUE BRACKET
BARTOW 5, WEST NASSAU CO. 4
Bartow held on to win 5-4 after West Nassau battled to the very end. Katelynn Oxley gave up three earned runs to the bat of Makhayla Moore from West Nassau, who brought in three runs with one impressive home runs swing.
Oxley hit a home run to put her Yellow Jackets ahead for good and was instrumental on both sides of the ball today, throwing a complete game and allowing only five hits.
NEWSOME 4, LAKE NONA 1
Another team to watch in the Blue Bracket is the always tough Newsome squad. Senior pitcher Kaitlyn Felton, a UCF signee, is sidelined with an injury, but Kelsey Winters kept Lake Nona to just three hits on the day and just one run.
Expect the Newsome bats to be difference makers in their games with names like Clemson-bound senior Jadyn Ruszkowski and Karley Shelton on the Wolves’ roster. Shelton’s a freshman but has already hit seven bombs this season. She and Ruszkowski got the offense going with a pair of singles yesterday.
RIVER RIDGE 8, WINTER SPRINGS 2
The Blankenship sisters continue to be on a roll as 2021 shortstop Brooke Blankenship, a Florida State signee and the Extra Inning Softball National Player of the Week (Mar. 30, 2021) this week, turned a pair of double plays on defense and went 4-for-4 at the plate while younger sister Caitlin Blankenship smacked a three-run home run in River Ridge’s 8-2 win over Winter Springs.
Jordan Sheets, a talented 2022, hit a home run and pitcher Tori Nearing went the distance for River Ridge.
LAKE BRANTLEY 6, OAKLEY 1
Oakleaf High School has won this event multiple times in the past, but dropped its first game to Lake Brantley in Round 1 play Thursday.
Brantley sophomore Kiley Strott is a “stud athlete” according to head coach James Bayly and shecertainly delivered at the Klassic, on Day 1, bringing in six of the eight runs her school put on the board yesterday. Expect to see more long balls from the sophomore, who already had put six out coming into the tournament.
GOLD BRACKET
ROBINSON 11, VIERA 10
In one of the most exciting games Thursday, Robinson hit bomb after bomb in a slugfest that ended 11-10 over Viera in Gold bracket pool play.
The Knights put up 15 hits and were too much for Viera and with Alabama signee Jordan Stephens lurking in the outfield and threatening at the plate, Robinson looks strong. She’s backed up by Destiny Dehoyos, a senior bound for Santa Fe State College, whose two-RBI single pushed her team past Viera Thursday.
Sprinkle in the additional solid bats and we wonder: is it too early to call the Championship matchup? We think it will come down to the awesome bats of Robinson and 2A powerhouse Canterbury, always well-coached by Jody Moore.
MATANZAS 8, MERRITT ISLAND 5
Another thriller was the 7th inning come-from-behind win by the Lady Pirates of Matanzas. Starring for the victors was Lovie Haley, who is signed with Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, had three RBIs and scored twice.
Others to watch for Matanzas include talented seniors such as catcher Ella Ferri, who is headed to Daytona State College and Nikki Perrine, who is headed to SEU in Lakeland; catcher.
The Lady Pirates are coached by Sabrina Manhart, who has been the head coach of Daytona State College softball for 12 years and is now at the helm at Matanzas High School.
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Kissimmee Klassic Schedule & Scoreboard (all times EST)
Thursday, April 1
Blue Bracket
- River Ridge 8, Winter Springs 2
- Doral Academy 9, Jacksonville Trinity 2
- Newsome 4, Lake Nona 1
- East Ridge 11, Deltona 0
- Bartow 5, West Nassau 4
- Lake Brantley 6, Oakleaf 1
- Lake Region 8, Alonso 2
Gold Pool Play
- Robinson 11, Viera 10
- Matanzas 8, Merritt Island 5
- University 8, Osceola 1
- Viera 14, Osceola 0
- Canterbury 15, St. Cloud 3
Friday, April 2
Blue Bracket
- Lake Brantley vs. Rockledge, 3 pm
- Doral Academy vs. East Ridge, 5 pm
- River Ridge vs. Bartow, 5 pm
- Lake Region vs. Newsome, 5 pm
Gold Pool Play
- Osceola vs. Robinson, 11 am
- St. Cloud vs. Merritt Island, 11 am.
- Canterbury vs. Matanzas, 11 am
- Frostproof vs. University, 1 pm
- St. Cloud vs. Matanzas, 3 pm
- Canterbury vs. Merritt Island, 3 pm
- Frostproof vs. Liberty, 5 pm
Saturday, April 3
Blue Bracket
- Semifinal games, 1 pm
- Championship, 5 pm
Gold Pool Play
- Viera vs. University, 9 a.m.
- Robinson vs. Frostproof, 11 a.m.
- Championship, 3 pm
