By STEVE JACKSON
All five South Shore high school baseball teams officially opened the 2024 season last week. All five continue play on the diamond this week, including a Feb. 29 visit to Lennard for Steinbrenner and Riverview hosting Chamberlain the same Thursday evening.
The East Bay Indians of Coach Rowland Ruiz nipped Freedom High 1-0 and then crushed Spoto High 11-0 to post a 2-0 mark early in this season. This week, East Bay welcomed the 0-2 Sumner Stingrays for an early week clash. Another 0-2 team, the Tampa Bay Tech Titans, host the Indians in Tampa at 7 p.m. Feb. 29. Next week, EB plays at weak Brandon High, 0-2, March 5 and at weak 0-2 Chamberlain High Saturday, March 9, at 4 p.m.
Lennard junior Pablo Garcia tossed four innings in relief, striking out seven of the 16 Alonso hitters he faced.
East Bay opened with a nail biter at home over Freedom High as JC Rodriquez gathered the only RBI of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Indians hurler M. Garcia started and went five great innings on the mound. Garcia gave up no runs on five hits, struck out three and walked four. D. Simonsen preserved the victory with two great innings of relief, also yielding no hits.
In its late game last week at home, East Bay’s offense woke up to rout Spoto High 11-0 behind the excellent no-hit pitching of Mowel. The Indians pitcher worked five innings, giving up only two walks and fanning 12 Spoto batters. Simonsen banged out a 3 for 3 night at the plate and tallied three Indian runs. A. Gingrich was 1 for 3 with a run and an RBI. E. Smith was 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI. R. Beaufort also contributed to the EB victory with 1 for 3 at the dish, scoring twice and swiping two bases.
Longhorn junior Jesse Robledo turns second on his way to third in game action vs. Alonso.
The Lennard Longhorns, under Coach Victor Martinez, started the season at 1-1 last week. The Horns look to improve. First up early this week were the Spoto Spartans at Ruskin. Then Steinbrenner High brings its 1-1 record to Lennard for a Thursday, Feb. 29, clash. Next week, the Horns go on the road for two games—at Sumner March 5 and at Plant High March 6. Lennard then hosts Plant City Saturday, March 9, at 4 p.m.
The Horns dropped a 4-2 game to open last week against Alonso High. Senior Matthew Counts was the lone Horn with more than one hit as he went 3 for 4 with one RBI. The only other Lennard RBI was produced by senior Kevin Hunter. The loss was taken by senior lefty pitcher Zack Bird with junior Pablo Garcia throwing four relief innings.
Later last week, Lennard returned to anticipated form with an 11-1 pounding of the Riverview Sharks. Sophomore pitcher Talan Miranda showed he is ready to take on more responsibilities this season, allowing no runs to Riverview. Miranda yielded a run over five innings. Sophomore Tommy Martinez came on in relief, yielding only one run on three Ks and two hits. Offensively, Lennard drilled 13 hits and walked four times with only three strikeouts against Riverview. Sophomore Rowland Ruiz smashed the Horns first home run of this season, collected another hit, scored twice and gathered three RBIs.
Senior Kevin Hunter was 3 for 4, scored twice and drove in a run. Matthew Counts, RJ Torres and Jesse Robledo all had two hits. Counts drove in two runs, and Torres and Robledo picked up an RBI. To add to the big win, Lennard’s Sebastian Rojas was 1 for 3 with a run, senior Cole Montgomery was 1 for 4 with an RBI, sophomore catcher Mickie Locke picked up an RBI and sophomore Peyton Newman scored twice and received two walks. Lennard swiped six bases off Riverview.
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Lennard senior Kevin Hunter stands safely at third after getting his uniform dirty on a head-first slide into the bag.
The Sharks, under Coach Garrett Thompson, are 0-2 heading into the second week of the season as they also fell 10-3 to Plant High earlier last week. Riverview’s offense will depend heavily on shortstop senior Caiden Kamrad who was 3 for 7 at the plate in the Sharks two early losses. Riverview traveled to 1-1 Newsome High for an early week game Feb. 27.
Chamberlain High hosts Riverview Feb. 29. The Sharks welcome Plant City for a March 5 contest. After a March 7 trip to play Armwood, Riverview plays Robinson on the Sharks diamond Saturday, March 9, at 4 p.m.
Lennard pitching coach Scott Vernetti returns after a mound visit during game vs. Alonso.
Spoto split its two games last week in a show of extremes. The Spartans, under Coach Stephan Knight, dominated Middleton to open 1-0. Veteran senior Cullen Cairns picked up his first win of the season by pitching four innings and striking out five with no hits and no walks. Junior Gavin Hansen closed it out over the Tigers with an inning of relief, striking out all three batters and giving up a hit. Offensively, senior Peyton Nisy went 3 for 4, scored three times and stole a base. Sophomore Jehmiel Pettis was 2-3 at the plate with a run and an RBI, including a two-base knock. Junior Michael McQueen went 2 for 3, including a double and two RBIs. Going 1 for 3 in the Middleton blowout were junior D’Andre Woods and freshmen Eli Sims and Nate Rodriquez.
The no-hit 11-0 loss to East Bay followed later in the week. After an early week game at Lennard this week, the Spartans face 1-1 Blake High in Tampa Friday, March 1.
Coverage of 0-2 Sumner High is provided by Francis Fedor elsewhere in the ObserverNews.net print and digital every week.