By FRANCIS FEDOR
Morgan, the new kids in town without the luxury of a senior class, opened the season with two losses. In the team’s very first game in Wimauma on Tuesday, Feb. 10, Spoto brought the offense and scored 18 even though the Mustangs did put up seven of their own runs. The Mustangs, like all the other sports at Morgan, have no seniors on their roster. A big 5-run second and two 6-run innings from Spoto were the undoing for the Mustangs in their home opener.
Morgan played its first game with maybe its closest new South Shore 6 (SS6) rival, Sumner, and lost a 10-0 run-rule shortened game. The next night, the Mustangs traveled out to Tarpon Springs and still could not get a win, but the team limited the margin of defeat to only six, in the 9-3 loss to the Spongers, who are off to a 3-0 start. Morgan held what likely was its first lead in the history of the program at 2-1 in the top of the third, only to give up four in the bottom that it could not overcome.
Stingray senior Diankel Berrios scores after his solo HR, his first with Sumner varsity, in opener on Feb. 10.
Sumner senior Cameron Pacquette celebrates a double in game vs. Durant on Feb. 10.
Morgan will look to get in the win column, having hosted Riverview this past Tuesday, welcoming King on Feb. 19 and another tough task in traveling to Plant City on Feb. 24.
Sumner started out with a tough 4-3 loss to Durant in what appeared early on to be a pitcher’s duel, replicating the 2024 opening day 1-0 loss to Strawberry Crest. The game started with both teams searching for the first run of the game, and Sumner was first to crack the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth on a fielders choice.
Junior Jaylin Chambers started for the Rays and tossed five innings, giving up three earned runs while scattering six hits. The Cougar offense laid down a perfect bunt to get its first run, followed by a double that drove in two more to take the 3-1 lead, spoiling a solid effort by Chambers. One inning later, senior Winston Pennant made an impressive throw from his center field position to cut down a runner at third and saved a run from scoring. The play kept Sumner in striking distance. Senior Diankel Berrios homered in his first Sumner varsity action to keep the game close ,and Braylon Disla went 2-4 with a 2B.
Teams line up for the National Anthem in game between Sumner and Durant on Feb. 10 to open the season.
Francis Fedor Photos
Sumner players acknowledge each other at the end of pregame practice before home opener on Feb. 10.
Sumner recovered and had a strong showing against Morgan, scoring two runs in the fifth to end the Mustangs night in a run-ruled shortened game. Matthew Rangel threw three scoreless innings for the win, giving up only two hits and striking out five. Richard Bowman doubled to drive in two, Cameron Pacquette went 2-2 and also drove in a pair, and Pennant scored three of the 11 Sumner runs.
The Stingrays traveled to Plant City on Feb. 17, stay on the road vs Freedom on Feb. 20 and renew an annual South Shore rivalry with Lennard coming to Balm Road on Feb. 24.
Lennard faced a tough task in its home opener against a highly touted Bloomingdale program, and the Bulls bested Lennard 12-4. The Bulls finished the 2025 season ranked 36 in Florida and have 10 seniors on the roster. The Longhorns sent Christian Skaggs to the hill; he went two innings, giving up three earned runs. A number of bright spots on the night for the Longhorns included a couple of 2-3 at bats from Mikie Locke and Julian Ware, with each driving in a run. Locke’s night included a double. Another notable performance was from Mason Menotti, going a perfect 3-3 from the plate. Menotti also tossed two scoreless innings for the Longhorns.
The Longhorns bounced back two days later with a 4-3 road win over Newsome. Tommy Martinez notched the win, tossing 3.2 innings and limiting the Wolves to two hits and two earned runs. JV Brennick was credited with the save, giving up one hit and one run over 3.1 innings. Connor Adechoubou went 2-4 at the plate, and Ivan Carbullo drove in two runs on a key hit.
The Longhorns played Durant on Feb. 17 and face Sumner on the road on Feb. 24.
Spoto opened with the win over the Mustangs covered earlier in this write up. On the Spartans 18-run night, Antonio Roberts and Braylen Byrd had productive nights for the Spartans, with both going 3-5 and driving in three runs in the 16-hit outburst. Eli Sims went 2 for 4 with two RBI’s
The Spartans could not carry the momentum into their Thursday, Feb. 12, road loss at Riverview, playing only the requisite nine starters with no substitutions and losing 19-6. A bright spot in the loss was the effort by Landon Hall, who went 2-2 from the plate and also took the mound and went two innings, giving up four earned runs and allowing a HR, but he was the best of the three to take the hill for Spoto. Nathan Rodriquez also had a good evening, going 2-3 with two RBIs and an extra base hit in an effort to ignite the offense.
Spoto faced a tough task at home vs Bloomingdale on Feb. 17, travel to face Hillsborough on Feb. 19 and stay on the road on Feb. 24 at Newsome.
East Bay won its home opener in walk-off fashion over the Riverview Sharks. The Sharks took a 2-0 lead into the sixth inning, but the Indians were not to be denied, scoring two in the bottom of the sixth and getting the walk-off win on in the seventh. East Bay scattered 10 hits but did just enough to pull off the win. Rowland Ruiz had three hits on the night. Qwenlen Bennett and KJ Sampson were credited with an RBI each for the Indians. Jude Stefan picked up the win, pitching two innings and surrendering only a walk.
The Indians then became the second SS6 victim of the week to a stout Bloomingdale squad (having defeated Lennard the prior Tuesday), losing 10-0 on Feb. 12 on the road. A bright spot on the night was the three-inning effort by Connor Gavigan, striking out four Bulls and giving up only two runs, neither of them earned. The Bulls got a standout effort from their starter, senior James Osting, who tossed a 1-hitter and K’d 12 Indian hitters. Osting went 8-1 in 2025.
East Bay will have played a home game vs Newsome on Feb. 17, welcomes Alonso on the 19th, heads out to Braden River on the 20th and wraps up a busy seven-day period at Durant on the 24th.
Stingray pitcher Jaylin Chambers fields his position and gets the out on Cougar Brennen Bailey on Feb. 10.
Riverview opened with the tough road loss at SS6 rival East Bay, giving up a 2-0 lead late in the game. Driston Marino cruised through the first five innings before giving up the late two runs that tied the game in the sixth. Marino took a no-decision in the loss.
The Sharks bounced back in the 19-6 rout of Spoto. Three Sharks accounted for 12 RBIs with Kevin Hess hitting a grand slam. Gabe Boltz and Jordan Shultz were the others with four RBIs each.
Riverview played at Morgan on Feb. 17, plays at home vs Freedom and Plant two days apart, and at Bloomingdale on the 24th.
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