With district play starting soon, Leopard baseball players will have a chance to get their cleats dirty at this weekend’s Jesuit Classic, located at Rockwall on Thursday and Saturday and Jesuit on Friday. The 2-2 Leopards will face Plano West and Rockwall on Thursday, Jesuit and Forney on Friday and Red Oak on Saturday.

“Rockwall and Jesuit are going to be the toughest,” Head Coach Jason Wilson said. “But Forney, one of our rivals, just went to state last year. So they might not be as strong as they were, but they’re still a team we always look forward to playing and beating.”

As Wilson explained, tournaments aren’t so much about winning or losing as they are getting the players ready for the coming season.

“I want to see them improve. I don’t really have any expectations as far as wins and losses,” Wilson said. “I just want to see them continue to take good at-bats, play good defense. Mainly, tournaments are to get their reps, so they can get ready to go for district.”

Because of the variety of teams competing in the tournament, some of which are out of district, it is uncertain how  tournament play will predict the team’s performance in district competition.

“Tournaments are always kind of funny,” Wilson said. “I don’t know if they’re ever really a true indication of how the season will go. Hitters usually have the advantage in tournament play versus district, but we got our two pitchers throwing early in the tournament. So if they continue to throw well, that should be a pretty good indication of how they do during the year.”