April 18, 2024
Ishmael Rodriguez Shines as South Sumter High Baseball Notches Fourth Consecutive Victory
By Kyle Coppola
Ishmael Rodriguez Shines as South Sumter High Baseball Notches Fourth Consecutive Victory
The South Sumter High Raiders baseball team is really hitting their stride with a four-game winning streak. Last night’s 8-1 victory over Citrus showcased their talent and determination. The team hit a rough patch in the middle of the season but have seemed to find their footing recently.
Ishmael Rodriguez stole the spotlight with an impressive performance. The sophomore dynamo delivered two hits, scored twice, and drove in two crucial runs. His contributions, alongside Mali Boone, Hunter Gill, Ryan Ogden, and Koltyn Furtado, fueled the team’s offensive power.
Pitching was also a key factor in the Raiders’ success. Freshman sensation Bryson Mitchell pitched a stellar six innings, allowing just one earned run and striking out five batters out of 28 faced. This solid pitching performance put pressure on Citrus’ Logan Michel and Nick Case, who struggled against the Raiders’ lineup.
With a 10-9 record and a string of victories, the Raiders are gaining momentum at the perfect time in the season. Ishmael Rodriguez’s impressive stats, including a .357 batting average and 20 hits, reflect his impact on the team. Junior Mali Boone leads with an outstanding .480 average, six home runs, and 20 RBIs, showcasing the depth of talent driving the Raiders’ success towards the tail end of the season.
Districts will be coming up shortly for all teams. The Raiders will look to close out the regular season on a high note.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
