
Sumner Stingray Manager Kennedy Duran, left, is pictured with Joe Sumner III, assistant coaches Gilbert Reyes and Gregg Jacobs. The school is named after the late Jule F. Sumner, and Joe is the great-grandson of Jule. Joe’s nine-year old son (great, great-grandson to Jule, Joe Sumner IV) threw out the first pitch for the inaugural home game at Sumner High against Tampa Bay Tech on March 2.
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FRANCIS FEDOR FOTOGRAPHY • francisfotography@outlook.com
Spoto grabs first win in South Shore baseball
Riverview visits Sumner March 11
By STEVE JACKSON
Spoto Spartans opened last week’s diamond action with a 7-6 win over Blake in Tampa. Coach Mike Boyd’s Spartans claimed their first victory of the season by scoring two runs in the 6th inning and plated two more in the top of the last inning, the 7th inning. Spoto was sparked at the plate by senior Jireh Brooks, who knocked in two runs, going 3 for 4. Two freshmen pitchers split the mound duties. Peyton Nisy opened. Cullen Cairns took the hill for the last five innings and barely hung on for the win. Spoto scored its seven runs on six hits and committed six errors.
The Spartans had another one-run game Friday night. But this went 10-9 in favor of home-standing King. Soph Chase Wink was 1 for 3 hitting with two RBI, one run and a walk. Senior pitcher Jonathan DiNova held King to one run and one hit over the last 3.2 innings.
After the two close games, Spoto collapsed on Saturday. East Bay clobbered the Spartans 13-0, taking advantage of 13 Spoto walks and two hit batters from four different Spartan hurlers. Soph Herb Britton banged out a pair of hits in two official at bats for Spoto, now 1-7. East Bay ran its record to 5-2 on only five hits behind the shutout pitching of soph Andrew Pierce, who went four innings, and junior Tate Green, who mopped up for the Indians.
East Bay got off on the wrong foot last week, losing to Bloomingdale 7-3. Currently, the Bulls sit atop 6A-D10 at 7-1 with East Bay in second place at 5-2.
Coach Cody Crouse’s Indians redeemed themselves in the late–week game. The Indians got timely hitting and sparkling pitching to win 8-1 over Armwood. Pitcher Nate Jackson upped his record to 3-0. Jackson hurled three innings and Javy Lopez nailed down the win, fanning six in four innings. Deshaun Manual collected two hits and scored twice while Jeremy Galen ripped a double, scored a run and stole three bases.
This week in its early-week game, the Indians tangle with 5-2 Wharton on Big Bend Road. Gaither, 2-3, hosts East Bay Thursday. This week closes Saturday at 10 a.m. at home with the 3-3 Brandon Eagles visiting.
Lennard Coach Vincent Martinez has one game this week — at 0-4 Blake. The Longhorns have played only four games and won only one in a season paused by covid issues of opponents. Hard luck sophomore pitcher Carter Payne was once again the losing pitcher in the March 22 loss at Durant, 3-1. Both teams collected four hits and made an error. But three Cougars’ pitchers held the Horns to its lone run in the 6th inning. It was too little and too late for Lennard. The Longhorns got modest offense from a trio of seniors: Francisco Alianz, Jaylin Tose, each with a base knock, and Luis Rivera with two hits. Coach Martinez’ ace pitcher Payne looked good on the mound, but his record fell to 1-3, despite going six innings and yielding four hits, three runs, with only one earned, no walks and six whiffs.
After the early week visit to Blake, Lennard welcomes its former coach, Kennedy Duran, back to the corral with Sumner at Ruskin, Tuesday, March 23. The home stand continues Friday, March 26, when longtime rival East Bay visits.
Sumner dropped two games last week, including the first game on the Stingrays’ sparkling, emerald-green home field. The Rays dropped the early-week, error-laden game, 6-1, to Tampa Bay Tech. Three Sumner hurlers gave up four hits but were victimized by four Sumner miscues. After freshman Travis Browning started and went one scoreless inning, soph Theo Nedd gave up three runs before junior Jayden Brown went the last five stanzas, striking out seven and allowing three runs. For posterity’s sake, Sumner’s Alex Collura banged out Sumner’s first hit at home, a double in the first inning. After walking in the 3rd inning, Vince Diballo scored the first Stingray run at home on a stolen base and two of TBT’s five errors. Sumner then lost its late week game Friday night, 5-2, at Brandon.
This week, Coach Duran’s troops looked to bounce back at home against 2-4 King, Tuesday. Then the schedule gets a little tougher with Riverview at Sumner Thursday. Another emotional milestone faces Sumner March 23, when the Stingrays go to Ruskin where Rays coach Kennedy was head coach for some 15 years before taking over at Sumner this season.
Speaking of emotions, Sumner High gave the ball to the descendants of the late Jule F. Sumner for ceremonial first pitches before the initial home game at the school against Tampa Bay Tech. Nine-year-old Joe Sumner IV, great, great-grandson of the late Jule F. Sumner, made the first delivery to Stingrays Coach Duran behind home plate. Joe IV, a Stowers Elementary third grader, said, “I feel like it’s going to be special,” when he is old enough to attend the new Sumner High. Little Joe’s father, Joe III, said “My entire family, we were honored and humbled and taken back.”
Coach Jason Smith’s Riverview Sharks received excellent pitching last week in its two games but could only translate the elite mound performances into a split, ending the week at 3-3.
In its early-week game, the Sharks beat Robinson, 6-3, behind two of its three aces, Kipp Kochera and Ronnie Brandon. Riverview’s other mound ace, Nate Hook, relieved Kochera in the late week game against powerhouse Durant. The visiting Cougars won this nailbiter, 2-1, behind its own ace, Sean Hermann, who threw a complete game, gave up one unearned run, three hits, no walks and 14 strikeouts.
Coach Smith is looking to Kochera to continue his mound work and hot offensive efforts to go along with the batting of Christian Tavarez and Farah Castillo as the Sharks leave the friendly confines of Boyette Road. On Thursday, March 11, Riverview makes the short trip to Sumner. Then Riverview opens a tournament against 4-1 Sickles March 13. The Tampa tourney continues March 15, 16 and 17.

Stingray junior Gabriel Mangual dives back to the bag on a pickoff attempt that sailed over the first baseman.
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Sumner sophomore Alex Collura during one of his at-bats.
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Stingray junior Jason Rivera hustling down the line.
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Gabriel Mangual puts down a bunt during game action vs Tampa Bay Tech.
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Sumner home opener battery, starting pitcher junior Jayden Brown and catcher freshman Gavin Albriton, prepare for the start of the game.
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Sumner Stingrays take the field prior to warmups.
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Stingray’s during the playing of the National Anthem.
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