May 1, 2025
Umatilla, South Sumter Set for Winner-Take-All Showdown in Regional Semifinal Game 3
By Kyle Coppola
Umatilla, South Sumter Set for Winner-Take-All Showdown in Regional Semifinal Game 3
UMATILLA, Fla. — One team will advance, the other will go home. That’s the reality tonight as Umatilla High School hosts South Sumter High in a decisive Game 3 of the FHSAA Class 3A Regional Semifinal series. The winner moves on to the Regional Final with a shot at the state semifinals in Fort Myers. The stakes couldn’t be higher—and both teams know it.
“We knew coming in that this was going to be a heck of a series, and it has lived up to it,” said Umatilla High head coach Tanner Clark. “Both teams are playing amazing baseball.”
(Umatilla has been able to keep up with South Sumter both at the plate and on the mound. Photo Credit – Jeanelle Henderson.)
Umatilla (the underdog on paper) is embracing its role as the spoiler. Fresh off a 6-1 Game 3 win over Nature Coast Tech last week, the Bulldogs find themselves once again with their backs against the wall and once again on their home field, in front of what’s expected to be a raucous crowd.
Umatilla’s lineup has come alive at the perfect time. Gavin Touchton, Tate Bagwell, and Wyatt Strawbridge are all swinging hot bats, helping fuel the team’s impressive playoff run.
(Keegan St. Amant slides back to 1st base as Malakhi Boone tries to pick him off. Photo Credit – Jeanelle Henderson.)
For top-seeded South Sumter, the path to the Regional Final appeared clear after jumping out to an early lead in Game 2. But that momentum evaporated in the third inning when Umatilla exploded for seven runs and also scored 2 go ahead runs in the 6th inning, forcing tonight’s winner-take-all contest.
South Sumter will rely on the dominant play of postseason standout Malakhi Boone, along with Ismael Rodriguez and a talented supporting cast. However, pitching control will be key. If South Sumter can contain Umatilla’s bats, they’ll have a strong chance to punch their ticket to the next round. South Sumter has one of the most dangerous batting lineups in the state but so does Umatilla. Both teams are very deep and that is what has got them to this point in the season.
(It’s been difficult to stop Malakhi Boone from reaching base. Boone is committed to UCF for football and baseball. Photo Credit – Jeanelle Henderson.)
Meanwhile, Hernando High School is hosting The Villages High School in the other Regional Semifinal. The winners of both matchups will collide next week with a trip to the state semifinals on the line.
One game. One goal. Who moves on?
We’ll find out tonight in Umatilla.
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.
