Prep baseball: Brackets set for 2013 Sarasota Baseball Classic

photo by Grant Jefferies

A year after finishing second in the Elite Division, Manatee is one of five area teams returning to the Sarasota Baseball Classic.
This year's tournament is scheduled to run from March 25 through March 28 at various sites in Sarasota County.
Similar to last season, the Classic will be separated into two fields: Blue and Red.
The Blue Bracket is a traditional bracket that features Braden River, Manatee and Cardinal Mooney.
The Pirates meet Hernando in the first round, while the Hurricanes meet Pine Crest and the Cougars face Miami Palmetto.
All three games will be played at the Buck O'Neil Baseball Complex in Twin Lakes Park, and the Blue Bracket final will be played Thursday.
The Red Bracket is is broken into two four-team pools. Palmetto is in Pool A and Lakewood Ranch is in Pool B.
The Tigers play Charlotte, Boca Raton and Coral Glades in pool play, and the Mustangs face North Port, Dade Christian and Eagle's View Academy.
How each team fares in each pool will determine the schedule on the final day.