By FRANCIS FEDOR
Sumner baseball and softball fans enjoyed late inning dramatics to walk-off with wins on Tuesday, March 21. First up was softball defeating Alonso 5-4, and, shortly after, Stingray baseball walked-off the Wharton Wildcats 7-6 in extra innings. Both teams lost coming off those emotional wins, traveling to Newsome HS, baseball getting shut out 5-0 and softball ending up on the short end of a 4-1 score.
Stingray baseball, even with the Newsome loss, continues to play well, coming off a great showing in the Saladino tournament where its only loss came to Riverview. Coach Kennedy Duran keeps his young team engaged, and that showed in the comeback walk-off win that needed an extra frame to decide the outcome. The Wildcats struck first, scoring three runs off starter Landon Wilder, who struggled with control in walking four Wharton hitters and left the game before completing the first inning. A combo of three relievers scattered three runs over the next six innings, giving the offense a chance to chase down the Wildcats. The ‘Rays showcased a gritty effort, chipping away at the deficit scoring once in the bottom of the first and adding at least one run an inning after the fourth to set up the dramatic walk-off win. Stingray sophomore Sebastian Peralta hit his first career HR in a 2 for 2 effort at the plate to start the comeback.
Stingray players congratulate Jaelyn Joiner on her great catch against Alonso.
Francis Fedor Photos
Sumner Sebastian Peralta celebrates his first inning HR with Jesse Robledo in action vs. Wharton.
Sumner outfielder Jaelyn Joiner tracks down a well hit ball, making a game saving play vs. Alonso.
Sumner traveled to Newsome to play the 5-5 Wolves on Thurs., March 21, but couldn’t carry the momentum from the exciting win just two days earlier. The bats fell silent, and the Stingrays and freshman starting pitcher Ethan Dejesus, with a solid 2.37 ERA on the season, surrendered three earned runs to take the loss. Sumner baseball plays on the road at Brandon, March 28, and then hosts Steinbrenner on April 1 for a rare Saturday morning game with a 10 a.m. start time.
Sumner softball also walked-off its Tuesday night opponent, the Alonso Ravens, with a clutch hit in the bottom of the seventh, driving in the winning run to start the celebration. The Stingrays controlled the tone of the game with starting pitcher Alyssa Vallad, who carries an offense stifling 1.12 ERA, shutting out the Ravens through six innings and striking out 12. Alonso found a way to crack the scoreboard in the seventh and tied the game; only one of the runs would be earned. The Ravens had new life, and the Autum Hernandez led ‘Rays needed to find their own grittiness to escape with the win. The dramatic conclusion was put in the hands of freshman Sa’Myra Cameron, and she delivered with a seeing-eye hit through the infield; Jaelyn Joiner then crossed the plate with the winning run to send the crowd home happy. It was only fitting that Jaelyn was the winning run as she made an amazing game saving stretch to snag a fly ball that easily could have been the difference.
Francis Fedor Photos
Sumner Sebastian Peralta celebrates his first inning HR with Jesse Robledo in action vs. Wharton.
The Stingray ladies also could not feed off the emotion of a walk-off win and went down to Newsome. Like the baseball squad, the offense was mostly silent, cracking the Wolves defense for a run. Aliyanis Stubbs and Alyssa Vallad gave up two runs each. Sumner softball has games away at Brandon (3/28), away at Braden River (3/30) and back home vs. Steinbrenner on Sat., April 1, at 10 a.m.
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