The National Club Baseball and Softball associations returned to Plant City this month for their annual Spring Training showcase series.
Fifty-three schools from around the country, plus several local travel baseball teams, played games at Mike Sansone Park, the MLK Recreation Center’s field and Snowden Park throughout the month of March, with teams shuffling in and out of town during four week-long periods. Of the 53 schools that participated, 49 brought baseball teams and three fielded both baseball and softball teams.
The men played a series of friendly exhibition games, while the women played a one-week tournament from March 13-17. The University of Florida’s club softball team won the tournament, picking up a 9-2 win over Air Force in the March 17 finale.
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
Baseball
University of South Florida
University of Central Florida
Pitt
Western Michigan
Toledo
Bowling Green State
Robert Morris
Ferris State
Central Michigan
Penn State-York
Penn State
Virginia Tech
Xavier
Michigan State-Mankato
Kentucky
Indiana
Lafayette
SUNY Brockport
Florida
Carnegie Mellon
North Dakota State
Edinboro
Ohio
Ohio State
Iowa
SUNY Cortland
Northern Illinois
Illinois State
UMass
Purdue
Michigan Tech
Michigan State
Marquette
Bloomsburg
Iowa State
North Dakota
Northern Iowa
Cleveland State
Kansas
Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Illinois
Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Pittsburg State
Drexel
Mizzou
Kent State
Northwestern
Wisconsin-Madison
Wisconsin-Whitewater
Stetson
Softball
UConn
Iowa
Air Force
Northern Illinois
Rutgers
Florida
Nebraska