By FRANCIS FEDOR
The Stingrays have turned their fortunes around. After losing the first two games of the season, they ended the week owners of a four-game win streak. The ’Rays opened with a 9-3 win over Riverview at the Tank on Tuesday, Feb. 25, and took to the road to win a tight game vs. Armwood on Thursday night, Feb. 27.
Sumner junior Ethan DeJesus warms up between innings of his six-strikeout performance in a game vs. Riverview on Feb. 25.
Stingray senior Luke Parson in a between innings ritual high-fives with #23 coming off the field in a game vs. Riverview on Feb. 25.
Sumner opened the week extending its winning streak to three games with a solid win over the Riverview Sharks. The Sharks had outscored opponents 50-7 in their wins and lost a close game to Durant, 3-2, coming into the rivalry match-up against the Stingrays. Junior Ethan DeJesus had another spectacular outing pitching 4.2 innings of scoreless baseball with six Ks and only allowing a single hit. The ’Rays offense started with Luke Parson getting plunked, his first of back-to-back hit-by-pitches, and scored the first of his three runs later in the inning. The Stingrays loaded the bases and scored two in the first. They added two in each of the next four innings and jumped out to a 9-0 lead after five innings. Sebastian Peralta stayed hot, going 3 for 3 with three RBIs with a double. Jessie Robledo and Isaiah Welch added doubles and both drove in two runs each on the night.
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Stingray senior Jose Robledo positions himself to make a catch from his first base position in a game vs. Riverview on Feb. 25.
The Stingrays traveled to Armwood on Thursday and added to their current winning streak. In another battle between starters, Isaiah Welch got the best of Hawks senior Rhyan Yetman. Welch tossed a complete game, striking out five and scattering six hits to earn the win. Yetman, who spent time with the Stingrays over the past two years, went six innings with 4 Ks and allowing only a single earned run. Sumner lit the scoreboard first with a first inning run and was held scoreless until the final two frames. The ’Rays scored in the sixth to make it a 3-2 game and scored two clutch seventh inning runs to take the late lead. Welch helped his own cause, driving in a run and going 1-2 from the plate. Cameron Pauquette and Jalyn Chambers also drove in a run each.
Sumner senior catcher Daniel Dugarte punctuates one of starter DeJesus’s Ks in a game vs. Riverview on Feb. 25.
The ’Rays stay on the road playing three games on the week. The first will be a trip to rival Durant on Tuesday, March 4. Two days later they take on another South Shore opponent, playing at Spoto, and finish their week with the first of a number of early Saturday games, an 11 a.m. start at Alonso.
Sumner softball played three games on the week. Coach Hernandez’s squad started the week at home with a 9-2 win over South Shore rival East Bay on Tuesday. The ’Rays used a big seven-run first inning to cruise to the victory. Aliyanis Stubbs tossed a complete game three-hitter with 11 Ks and giving up two earned runs. Karlee Salisbury doubled and tripled while driving in two runs. Emma Smith had three RBIs for the winners. They continued their winning ways with another home win, 5-2, over Alonso before losing 8-1 on the road at Land O’Lakes on Friday.
Stingray senior Sebastian Peralta scores a run in a 9-3 win in a game vs. Riverview on Feb. 25.
The Stingrays used a complete game from starter Riley Wine for an easy win over King to close out the week. The offense scored six runs in the first to get the early lead and never looked back in a four-inning run rule shortened game. Eight different Sumner hitters doubled with Madison Nizzaro having two doubles in three at-bats The ’Rays have it a bit easier, only playing two games vs. the four the previous week. They played at Durant on Tuesday and stay on the road to play Hillsborough on Thursday.
For more South Shore action, look for Steve Jackson’s write-up covering the other South Shore HS games.
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