By STEVE JACKSON
As the high school baseball regular season goes into its final two weeks, the East Bay Indians and the Sumner High Stingrays continue to pace the five South Shore teams.
The Indians made a big step—-actually two big steps—toward prosperity last week. Coach Rowland Ruiz of the Big Bend Road East Bay won two close games to snap a miserable five-game losing streak, moving the team’s season record to 10-7.
Last Tuesday EB visited Plant City and squeaked by the Raiders, 4-2, behind the stellar pitching of starter R. Patterson and reliever R. Kinney. Later in the week, the Indians pulled out an amazing 5-3 win at Palmetto High by scoring four runs in the top of the last inning. The Indians’ Michael Mowel pitched an excellent four innings with top relief pitching contributed by both Simensen and Kinney.
East Bay has two games at home this week—-against 3-15 Riverview Sharks on April 16 and versus 8-11 King High on April 18. Next week the regular home season concludes with an April 23 match against patsy 0-14 Middleton on Big Bend Road.
To end the season, EB visits the 7-11 Chamberlain Storm in Tampa next Thursday, April 25.
Meanwhile, Lennard continues to struggle versus good pitching. Last week, the Newsome Wolvers shutout the Longhorns 6-0. Two games early this week in Ruskin had the Horns first facing Bishop McLaughlin on Monday. Coach Victor Martinez’ Horns then battled Plant City High on Wednesday. The Gaither Cowboys are set to host Lennard this Friday, April 19, in Tampa at 7 p.m. Next week, the Horns conclude the regular season, starting with Strawberry Crest in Ruskin on Tuesday, April 23. The very next day 7-11 Chamberlain High visits Lennard for the Horns’ last regular season home game. Lennard closes the regular season Friday, April 26, at 11-5 Armwood High.
Spoto High put another victory in the win column last week by topping weak Brandon High 8-2. Then, later in the week, the Spartans were no match for the Plant High Panthers. Plant held Spoto to only one hit in a 12-0 shutout. It could get worse for 5-15 Spoto in its April 16 game at Durant. The Cougars are 16-3 and heavily fortified with pitching and hitting. On Thursday, April 18, the Hillsborough Terriers visit Spoto. Next week, the Spartans close the regular season. After traveling to King High April 23, Spoto hosts Freedom High April 25 in its final regular season contest. The Spartans end the season with a trip to Hialeah Gardens to match up the 11-6 Mater Academy Lions, an 11-6 squad, on April 26 at 6:30 p.m.
The Riverview High Sharks dropped a 17-7 contest versus the Durant Cougars in Riverview last week, despite jumping out to a 7-1 lead after the opening inning. Now at 3-15, Riverview faces its final five regular season games on the road. Early this week, the Sharks visited 10-7 East Bay. Then a trip to 13-7 Jefferson High trip is set for Thursday. This week ends at 5-14 Tampa Bay Tech on Saturday morning at 10. Riverview closes it regular season next week. The Sharks visit 13-5 Gaither Tuesday, April 23. One more opportunity for a victory is versus 8-10 Steinbrenner in Lutz on Thursday, April 25.
For sports coverage of Sumner High, see articles and photos by Francis Fedor in this week’s Observer News and in ObserverNews.net/.
