The Sumner Stingrays will head out on the road to square off against the Sarasota Sailors at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Sumner is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.5 runs per game this season.
Sumner came out on top against Plant City on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run third inning. The Stingrays walked away with a 7-3 win over the Raiders. The Stingrays haven't had any issues with the Raiders recently, as the game was their eighth consecutive victory against them.
Aliyanis Stubbs spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on six hits and racked up eight Ks.
Victoria Rudolph
| 03/03/26 @ Plant City | 4 |
| 04/23/25 @ Wharton | 3 |
| 04/05/25 @ Plant | 3 |
| 03/14/25 vs Bartow | 3 |
| 02/18/25 @ Newsome | 3 |
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Victoria Rudolph, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one home run and four RBI. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Ava Cater also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Sumner hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Plant City struck out eight times.
Meanwhile, Sarasota made easy work of North Port on Tuesday and carried off a 9-2 win. Fans of the Sailors have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 6+ runs.
Gianna Williams was incredible, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Nohah Mutkala, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Sumner's record now sits at 4-2. As for Sarasota, their record is now 4-0.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Sumner hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Sarasota struggles in that department as they've averaged .449. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Sumner came up short against Sarasota in their previous meeting back in May of 2025, falling 8-3. Can the Stingrays avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
