With Spring Break ending, student athletes are Back on the diamond in Osceola County!

By: J. Daniel Pearson
For Positively Osceola

With the exception of a few baseball events, spring break shut down most sports in Osceola County last week. But baseball and softball jump back into action this week with a heavy schedule of action around the county.

BASEBALL

Most teams were off last week, except Osceola and Harmony who participated in tournaments in Polk and Orange County respectively. The Kowboys had a huge week, going 3-0 in their tournament and finding their offense by scoring 36 runs in beating Inspiration Academy (Bradenton, FL), 12-10; Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colorado), 19-8; and Auburndale, 6-4 to push their record for 7-3 on the season. Jason Ramos (8 for 11, 5 RBI), Nick Palmi (5 for 10, Triple) and Louis Rodriguez (5 for 13, HR) led the way for the Kowboys.

Harmony (4-7) came away with a 1-2 record after playing in the O-Town National Classic, which featured a highly competitive field. The Longhorns lost to state powers The First Academy (5-2) and Apopka (10-2) but came away with an impressive win over Ponderosa (Parker, Colorado) by an 8-5 score. Jhon Peralta went (4-10) and Cade Walter (3 for 9) led Harmony in hitting for the week; while Iziah Santiago (3.2 IP, 1 ER) picked up the pitching win over Ponderosa. Ismael Rivera (3.2 IP, 1 ER) pitched well in the loss to the First Academy.

Osceola County will be busy this week with a full slate of games as they prepare for next week Orange Belt Conference Championship Tournament that will be contested with quarterfinal games on Monday (3/27), semifinal and consolation games on Wednesday (3/29) and Championship and placement games on Friday (3/30).

This Week’s County Baseball Schedule:

Monday, Mar. 20

St. Cloud at Tohopekaliga, 7 p.m.

Ridge Community at Celebration, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Mar. 21

Melbourne Central Catholic at Harmony, 6 p.m.

Tohopekaliga at Olympia, 4:30 p.m.

Poinciana at Gateway, 6 p.m.

Ellwood City (Pennsylvania) at Celebration, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Mar. 22

Osceola at Winter Haven, 7:30 p.m.

Liberty at Lake Nona, 7 p.m.

Tohopekaliga at Gateway, 5 p.m.

Olympia at St. Cloud, 7 p.m.

Friday, Mar. 23

Melbourne at Harmony, 6 p.m.

Lake Wales at Osceola, 7 p.m.

Wekiva at Liberty, 6 p.m.

SOFTBALL

All county team were idle last week for spring break but several key games are on tap for this week, including big rivalry games this week when Osceola (4-3) hosts St. Cloud (4-3) and Liberty (1-4) travels to Poinciana (4-3) on Tuesday. Celebration (0-5) and Gateway (0-3) will be seeking their first wins of the season; while after playing a tough early season schedule, Harmony (1-3) returns to action against East River (2-7) and Timber Creek (2-5).

Some interesting early season numbers are developing. Tohopekaliga freshman Jessilyn Diaz is hitting .571 in her first year of varsity competition. Senior Jodee Matos was hitting at a .566 clip (13 of 23) for the Lady Kowboys; while Poinciana’s Alondra Lozado had an incredible on-base percentage of .875, having reached base safely in 14 of 16 plate appearances, which included 9 of 11 hitting and five walks.

This week’s county softball schedule:

Monday, Mar. 20

Liberty at Ft. Meade, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Mar. 21

Liberty at Poinciana. 4:30 p.m.

Davenport at Celebration, 5 p.m.

East River at Harmony, 7 p.m.

St. Cloud at Osceola, 7 p.m.

Bayside at Tohopekaliga, 6 p.m.

Heritage at Gateway, 6 p.m.

Wedneday, Mar. 22

Davenport at St. Cloud. 7:15 p.m.