By FRANCIS FEDOR
The Stingrays had a mixed week, starting off the week with an 11-2 victory at Brandon HS on Tues., March 28, and wrapping up the week losing 8-3 at home to Steinbrenner on April 1 in a rare Saturday game.
Sumner baseball traveled to Brandon to face a struggling 2-11 Eagles squad in a non-district match-up. The Stingray offense, which started hot, has seen moments of cold over the past couple of weeks. Its 11-run output vs. the Eagles was its biggest output since its 15-run outburst against Tampa Bay Tech back on Feb. 15. The ‘Rays wasted no time getting on the board with four runs in the first inning and never looked back. They added five runs in the sixth inning to put an exclamation point on the win. Stingray senior Derrick Burgos had a big game, going 2-2 with a double and HR (his second of the season). He also collected three RBIs on the night. Four Sumner pitchers combined to limit the Eagles to two runs with sophomore Luke Parson picking up the win.
Sumner welcomed the Steinbrenner (3-0 District) to the Tank for a district match-up between two teams with very similar records. The game was an early 10 a.m., a rarity on the schedule as it only has one other later this April vs. Strawberry Crest. The Stingray offense went cold early in the game, going scoreless through five innings before coming to life for a three-run sixth inning. Meanwhile, the Warriors had already scored seven runs through five innings, five of those in the first two innings off freshman starter Ethan Dejesus, who took the loss. Ethan still has a respectable 3.55 ERA for a 3-2 record in six appearances. Senior Elijah Serrano went 1-1 and drove in a run in the loss. Sumner fell to 1-2 in district play with only one district game left on its schedule; it’s at Plant on April 13. Sumner faced South Shore rival Spoto on Tues., April 4, and travels to Plant City on Thurs., April 6.
Stingray softball also split the week with a 14-0 road win over Braden River and losing its district game over Steinbrenner 13-2; the team is now 9-3 (2-2 District) on the season. Stingray softball got off to a hot start on the week with a scoring outburst against the Pirates: four-run innings in the third and fifth, with a punctuating six-run seventh inning to salt away the win. Seniors Alyssa Vallad and Savana Robnett paced the offense. Alyssa went 1-3 with a triple and drove in five runs, and Savana had a big 4-5 game, driving in four runs. Alyssa and freshman Aliyanis Stubbs shared the pitching load for the shutout. Sumner hit a blip in the road with the loss to Steinbrenner on Sat. morning. The Warriors are 13-5 and 4-0 in the district and got the better of the Stingrays, but the two teams could meet again in district playoff action later this season.
The Warriors got off to a fast start, putting seven runs up in the first two innings, and never looked back.
Stingray softball will face Sickles at home on Thurs., April 6, for its only game of the week.
