Prep softball: Three county teams playing for titles

(logo from FHSAA.org)Manatee County is assured of at least one district softball champion this spring and will send three teams into next week's regional tournament.

Lakewood Ranch and Braden River won Class 4A-District 10 tournament semifinals Wednesday, with the third-seeded Mustangs beating host Seminole Osceola 5-2, and the top-seeded Pirates knocking off No. 5 St. Petersburg Lakewood 10-0.

The Mustangs and host Pirates meet 7 p.m. Friday to decide the District 10 title. Braden River, which is 25th in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings, won the regular-season meeting 1-0.

Both have clinched a berth in the Region 3 tournament, which begins Wednesday, April 27.

Bradenton Christian, which won its Class 1A-District 8 semifinal in thrilling fashion Tuesday, meets undefeated Hernando Christian 4:30 p.m. at home Thursday for the District 8 title.

Hernando Christian is 25-0 and received votes in Bright House Sports Network's BHSN Top 10 Softball Poll. Yet the Panthers played the Lions close during the regular season, losing 4-0 and 5-2 - not bad, considering HCA has outscored is opponents 341-19 this season.

Win or lose, BCS heads into the Region 2 tournament Tuesday.