High school baseball and softball seasons return to area diamonds Thursday for the final drive to the district tournament and postseason.

Teams took a break from the schedule earlier this week during FCAT exams in the classroom. Now it’s time to reengage the opposition for the final weeks of the season.

Mariner, Island Coast and Bishop Verot join Fort Myers and eight other teams for the annual Bud Roth Memorial Tournament. The three-day event founded and hosted by Bishop Verot consists of six games each day at Terry Park in Fort Myers.

Mariner (14-6) opens against Naples, Island Coast (16-3) opens against Fort Myers and Bishop Verot takes on Palmetto Ridge, all at 7 p.m. Thursday.

South Fort Myers plays Naples Seacrest and Riverdale collides with Cypress Lake in the tournament’s first two games at 4 p.m.

Opponents are shuffled for Friday and Saturday games at 4 and 7 p.m.

In non-tournament games Ida Baker (12-9) hosts North Port Thursday and North Fort Myers hosts Dunbar Friday, both at 7 p.m.

North Fort Myers, Mariner, Ida Baker and Bishop Verot send softball teams to Naples for the Bill Longshore Memorial Tournament.

Mariner and North Fort Myers play in the Gold Division. The Tritons (12-7) open Thursday against Naples while North (14-5) starts Friday against Steinbrenner.

Baker (18-3) participates in the White Division with a Thursday opener against Palmetto Ridge.

Bishop Verot faces Jupiter Friday in the Navy Division opener.

Tournament play continues through Saturday.

Softball district tournaments begin Monday with baseball districts starting April 25.

Softball

North Fort Myers 12, Island Coast 2: A cancellation forced North Fort Myers to reschedule an opponent for Senior Night and Island Coast obliged. Their reward was a 10-run defeat by the Red Knights.

Jessica Petrucci, a senior, cracked her first career home run for the Knights. Allie Kennedy hit her sixth home run of the season and Katrissa Rowell belted her third. Paige Engh contributed a three-run double and Alex Smith added two hits.

The Knights (14-5) play Steinbrenner Friday in Naples in the Longshore Tournament.

Island Coast200 00 – 2 3 0

North Ft. Myers050 07 – 12 16 3

W – Boyden (9-4). L – Ruff.

2B – Engh (NFM). HR – Petrucci (NFM), Kennedy (NFM), Rowell (NFM).