Kissimmee Klassic softball tournament returns from COVID-19 hiatus
Lake Nona’s softball team has finally arrived.
The Lions, among nine Orlando area programs competing this week at the annual Roger Jones Kissimmee Klassic, have embraced the challenge of being placed in the tournament’s top-tier Blue Bracket.
“We’re going to wear being in the Blue Bracket as a badge of honor,” said second-year Lake Nona coach Jay McQuillan. “We’re excited to be playing against some of the best teams and players in the state. We’ve set a goal to be competitive, and if we can do that, I think we’ll come out of it very happy.”
Lake Nona (10-1) joins Lake Brantley (10-2), Winter Springs (10-4), Deltona (7-3) and Clermont East Ridge (10-5) as Orlando area teams in the Blue Bracket’s 16-team field.
Undefeated Orange City University (11-0) leads a group of 10 teams in Gold Pool Play, which includes host Osceola (8-5), Liberty (12-2) and St. Cloud (7-7). University has outscored opposing teams 100 to 20 this season as junior Aminah Vega is batting .630 (17-for-27) with six home runs.
The Kissimmee Klassic, in its 29th year, takes place Thursday through Saturday at Fortune Road Athletic Complex. The event was canceled last spring due to COVID-19.
Tournament passes for all three days are available for $30. Daily admission is $15 per person. Temperature checks, masks and social distancing is required at the complex per CDC guidelines. Tickets can be purchased online at kissimmeeklassic.hometownticketing.com/embed/all.
Lake Brantley returned eight starters this spring from a team that was 9-1 before the 2020 shutdown. Sophomore catcher Kiley Strott enters the tournament batting .410 with 16 RBIs and four home runs. Gabby Sacco and Hannah Marien have combined to strike out 129 batters in 78 innings.
Liberty, which is scheduled to play just one game, is off to a strong start under first-year coach Rich Roy-Colom as five players have logged at least 19 hits thus far. Junior third baseman Kayleen DeJesus is 22-for-45 (.489) at the plate with 19 RBIs and 11 doubles. Shortstop Jehna Morales has connected on six home runs and catcher Blanca Elaraj has tallied 15 RBIs and eight extra-base hits.
Lake Nona earned a rare invite to the Klassic last season and was 9-0 before high school sports was interrupted by the pandemic. The 2021 season started with the unveiling of a remodeled dugout at the team’s home field, and McQuillan says the excitement among players has yet to subside.
A strong senior class is led by four future college players. Karen Vasquez and Evoni Rodriguez are both moving on to Palm Beach Atlantic. Avery Viancos, who is batting .636 (21-for-33) with 13 RBIs and eight extra-base hits, is a Florida Gulf Coast signee. Jianna Simonet is headed to Florida International.
“The way the season got taken away from them last year has made this team a little more hungry,” McQuillan said. “Last year offered a valuable lesson to enjoy what you have when you have it, because it could all be gone.”
Kissimmee Klassic schedule
Thursday
Blue Bracket
Winter Springs vs. River Ridge, 4 p.m.
Jacksonville Trinity vs. Doral Academy, 4
Lake Nona vs. Newsome, 6
Deltona vs. East Ridge, 6
Bartow vs. West Nassau, 6
Rockledge vs. Coral Reef, 6
Lake Brantley vs. Oakleaf, 7:30
Alonso vs. Lake Region, 7:30
Gold Pool Play
Robinson vs. Viera, 4
Merritt Island vs. Matanzas, 4
Osceola vs. University, 6
Osceola vs. Viera, 7:30
St. Cloud vs. Canterbury, 7:30
Friday
Blue Bracket
Lake Brantley/Oakleaf vs. Rockledge/Coral Reef, 3
Jacksonville Trinity/Doral Academy vs. Deltona/East Ridge, 5
Winter Springs/River Ridge vs. Bartow/West Nassau, 5
Alonso/Lake Region vs. Lake Nona/Newsome, 5
Gold Pool Play
Osceola vs. Robinson, 11 a.m.
St. Cloud vs. Merritt Island, 11 a.m.
Canterbury vs. Matanzas, 11 a.m.
Frostproof vs. University, 1
St. Cloud vs. Matanzas, 3
Canterbury vs. Merritt Island, 3
Frostproof vs. Liberty, 5
Saturday
Blue Bracket
Semifinal games, 1
Championship game, 5
Gold Pool Play
Viera vs. University, 9 a.m.
Robinson vs. Frostproof, 11 a.m.
Championship game, 3
This article originally appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com.
