By FRANCIS FEDOR
francisfotography@outlook.com
Francis Fedor Photos
Sumner senior Ethan DeJesus looks in for the pitch in duel with the Bloomingdale Bulls on March 17.
The Sumner Stingrays (13-6; 2-1 district) continue to battle with the East Bay Indians (11-6; 2-0) for South Shore Six (SS6) superiority. The Stingrays, coming fresh off a Saladino Silver Championship, got right back at it on March 24 to resume the regular season. The opponent was the 14-2 Bloomingdale Bulls, the Saladino Gold Division champions. The game was an opportunity for Sumner to measure its progress, and in some circles, it was the game of the week in the region between the Saladino champs. In the end, the Bulls took advantage of the Rays’ miscues, including a ball eluding an outfielder and Ethan DeJesus struggling with his control. DeJesus was looking for his seventh win but had a number of balls in the dirt that eluded the catcher, resulting in runs being scored. And with the bases loaded in the fifth, he sailed a ball to the backstop, allowing two more runs to score and ending his night. The Stingrays scored three runs in the final frame to set the final score at 9-3, but the night was decided much earlier with the Bulls completing their sweep of the SS6 and ending the Rays four-game winning streak. DeJesus has shown promise and will learn from this game and focus forward. As a former MLB Tampa Bay Rays player offered at an event in Ybor, celebrating MLB Opening Day and baseball in Tampa, failures happen. He is correct; it is just a part of the game and you have to move on.
Sumner bounced back two nights later with a 4-2 road win over Newsome. Jaylin Chambers tossed five innings, scattering five hits and K’d six. Matthew Rangel closed out the game with six K’s. Kalob Williams drove in two runs for the winners.
Stingray shortstop Jaylin Chambers comes across the bag to make a throw to first in game vs. the Bloomingdale Bulls on March 17.
Diankel Berrios and Cameron Pacquet drove in a run each.
The Stingrays played a Saturday sunrise game, traveling to Spoto and leaving with a 12-3 rout to start a new winning streak. The game was highlighted by a Winston Pennant three-run HR, his third of the season. He drove in four runs in the victory. Mason Morales went 2-3 and drove in two. Jackson Salisbury earned the win and K’d seven Spartans.
Sumner has three games remaining in the regular season, April 2 vs. Alonso; April 7 at King; and April 9 vs. 14-4 Gaither, in another key match-up before district playoff action.
East Bay picked up two wins over SS6 opponents in its first games post-Saladino tournament. First up was an 11-0 home win on March 24 vs. Morgan. Cam Cook took the ball for the Indians and tossed a no-hitter, setting down 11 Mustangs by way of the K. K.J. Sampson drove in four runs on a 2-3 night with a triple, and Rowland Ruiz contributed two RBIs for the victors in the run-rule shortened game. Two nights later, the Indians traveled up to Spoto and came away with the 16-2 rout of the Spartans, punctuated by an eight-run sixth inning. J.J. Grover picked up the win for East Bay, his second on the season, allowing two hits and striking out eight. E. Cunningham sparked the offense, going 2-3 and driving in three runs to lead the Indians. Johnathan Bryant doubled and drove in two runs. Jeffrey Diab, Qwenlen Bennett and Ruiz all doubled in the rout.
East Bay has five games left in its season, including a rematch with Gaither on 4/2 at home. The Cowboys have defeated the Indians twice prior. The team then takes to the road, visiting Plant on 4/4 and Chamberlain on 4/7, as the players work towards a second consecutive district title.
Lennard found success against two SS6 foes to build upon, winning the week with a 2-0 win over Spoto and a 9-4 road win over Riverview. Myles Wagner picked up his second win of the season with a monster 14 strikeout performance, allowing only a single hit in seven innings vs. Spoto. The Longhorns were held to six hits, but it was enough to plate two runs, both scored by Julian Ware, and Yovani De Pablos getting credited with the only RBI. Two nights later against Riverview, the Longhorns put on an offensive show that included six extra-base hits and saw the Longhorns score in every inning except the fourth. The biggest was a HR by A.J. Aikens, a career first, and a big night from Christian Skaggs, who drove in four runs with two doubles, going 4-4 at the plate. Ivan Carbello also had a two-double night.
Lennard enters the home stretch of its season and heads to Sickles on 4/2, plays at home vs. Brandon on Saturday in a 10 a.m. start, at Leto on 4/7 and finishes the regular season on the road vs. Armwood on 4/9.
Spoto dropped back into the loss column with the SS6 losses to Lennard, East Bay and Sumner. The Spartans got a quality start from Braylen Byrd, who tossed five innings of five-hit, seven strikeout baseball vs. Lennard. The offense struggled against Wagner, and every hitter in the lineup was a strikeout victim, with Eli Sims reaching base on a hit. The East Bay loss was going to be a tough game for the Spartans. The 11-win Indians are on a different path and have their eyes on back-to-back district championships. Antonio Roberts had the best night of all the Spartan players, going 2-2 with a double.
Spoto has one regular season game remaining on April 9 vs. Leto.
Sumner infielders gather as a pitching change is made in game against the Bloomingdale Bulls on March 17.
Riverview dropped the first two games of the week, giving up nine in both losses, 9-1 at Plant City and 9-4 vs. Lennard, but got back in the win column on the road with a 6-5 win over Hillsborough. Justin Edwards led the offense with a 2-4 day with a double and driving in two. Yadiel Rivera-Morales chipped in a 4-4 effort, driving in one. Parker Burt picked up the win, allowing only a single non-earned run.
Riverview finishes up at Jefferson on 4/4, at Armwood on 4/7 and at Robinson on 4/9.
Morgan’s head coach, Lastings Milledge, and his staff continue to evaluate talent as they work towards a 2027 squad with their first senior class. Felix Polanco has been called on 11 times, thrown 24 innings and, while giving up 48 runs, he has shown promise and has surrendered two or fewer runs in eight of his last nine appearances. Maxzell Mathis, a sophomore, leads the Mustangs in Avg. (412), On Base Pct. (.545) and Stolen Bases (8).
The Mustangs have games vs. Jefferson on 4/2 and vs. Freedom on 4/4 at 10 a.m., travel to Bayshore on 4/8, before wrapping their season on the road at Brandon on 4/9.
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Safe or out? Bloomingdale Bull Sal Aponte slides as Summer third baseman Cameron Pacquet applies the tag. Runner was ruled safe in battle with the Bloomingdale Bulls on March 17.