By FRANCIS FEDOR
Sumner baseball started off the week on a high note with a 9-0 road rout of the struggling Brandon Eagles on Tuesday, April 23. The team remained on the road and defeated Freedom HS 4-2 on April 18 to close out the week.
The Stingrays continue to build momentum towards the post season, winning games they should win and finishing business against the one-win Eagles in Brandon. A big seven-run fifth inning put the game away for the ‘Rays. Luke Parson, Isaiah Welch and Winston Pennant each had two-hit games. Pennant has been a doubles machine, leads Sumner with six on the season and drove in three runs for the game. Senior Deven Mena tossed three innings for his first win. Mena struck out six and didn’t allow any hits for his appearance. Sumner stayed on the road at Freedom to take on the Patriots. Sumner got on the scoreboard first with two fourth-inning runs, and single runs in the sixth and seventh in the low scoring game. Senior Deven Mena drove in two runs with a key double, and Isaiah Welch was credited with the win in three innings of work and only allowing a single run.
Francis Fedor Photos
Sumner sophomore Ethan Dejesus is having a strong season in the field and at the plate. He leads the Stingrays with 13 RBIs.
The ‘Rays close out their regular season, having played Robinson on April 23 and finishing at home for Senior night with Strawberry Crest HS on Thursday, April 25, at 7 p.m. Sumner is 3-0 in its district with Palm Harbor just behind at 2-0 in district play as Sumner gets ready for the postseason.
Sumner softball saw its first three-game losing streak for this season. The ‘Rays lost heartbreakers to the Wesley Chapel Wildcats, 6-5; the Newsome Wolves, 4-2, two nights later; and came up a run short in extra innings, 12-11, to the Durant Cougars. The Stingrays still are at the top of their 7A District 7 grouping with a perfect 3-0 record and played at Robinson on April 23 before closing their regular season with two district match ups, the first on April 24, traveling to face the 11-3 Alonso Ravens, and then hosting rival Riverview (4-10) on April 25 at the Tank.
Sumner traveled up I-75 to Wesley Chapel to open the week, scored a run in the top of the first to take the early lead and added another run in the third. The Wildcats got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning and tied the score. Both teams traded three-run fifth innings, but it was Wesley Chapel that scored last and held off Sumner for the win. Aliyanis Stubbs paced the offense, going 3-4 from the plate with three RBIs. Stubbs and Victoria Baker shared pitching duties with Stubbs taking the loss while only giving up a run. Baker tossed four innings, giving up five runs, three earned, and struck out three.
Stingray sophomore Winston Pennant, shown here getting in position to corral a pop-fly, leads Sumner in doubles, with six, and is having a solid season for the ‘Rays.
The Stingrays welcomed 14 win Newsome to the Tank and again scored early, plating two first-inning runs, but the offense went cold for the rest of the night and the Wolves did just enough to escape with the win. Victoria Baker was 3-3 with two doubles, and Riley Wine drove in both Sumner runs. Stubbs and Baker again shared the circle with Stubbs taking another tough luck loss, giving up two earned runs. Sumner’s string of tight losses continued at Durant on April 18. As in the previous two games, the Stingrays scored a first-inning run and tacked on another in the third inning, but the 14-6 Durant Cougars had a big eight-run fourth inning to take a six-run lead. To their credit, Sumner scored seven runs in the seventh inning to tie the game and send it into extras, but the Cougars scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to eek out the win.
The Stingrays managed seven doubles in the game but were on the wrong side of what became a slugfest. Sumner will be looking to use the energy it summoned to roar back and tie the game in its busy three-game week to end the regular season.