Seahawks walk it off against Blue Jays in 10th inning

Sussex Academy baseball clinched its first win over a Henlopen Conference opponent this season in dramatic fashion with a come-from-behind 2-1 walk-off victory against Seaford April 15.

Sophomore Matthew Brittingham toed the rubber for the Seahawks, and aside from a one-run blemish in the fourth, he kept the Blue Jays off the board and out of scoring position. Brittingham was efficient, throwing around 80 pitches through eight innings, allowing only four hits and two walks while striking out three. 

“We tip our caps to Seaford’s starting pitcher [Victor] Evans,” Seahawks coach Brad Nowell said. “We hung in there. Our guy was really good, too.”

In addition to Brittingham’s performance, the Seahawks' sound defense kept them in the game despite being shut out. 

“With my change-up working, [batters are] rolling over on balls, and I can trust my defense to make plays,” Brittingham said. “With my fastball, guys are popping it up, and I can trust my outfield to make those catches.”

In the seventh, down 1-0, the Seahawks were in prime position to tie and possibly win the game after Emerson Layton stood on third following a double from Mason Glover. With one out, Victor Goodhue sent a fly out to left field, deep enough for Layton to tag up and tie the game 1-1.

To start extras, Brittingham was still on the mound, but not for long despite surrendering a hit and a walk. Khalil Kilgo, who recorded the hit, was thrown out by Mason Glover at second, then Victor Evans III, who walked, was picked off by Brittingham before the lefty struck out Hunter Speed looking.

“I honestly felt awesome,” Brittingham said. “I was able to get through all those innings tough, strong, especially with my defense and offense.”

Victor Goodhue took over the mound in the ninth after the Seahawks failed to score in the bottom of the eighth. With him keeping the Blue Jays off the board in the ninth and 10th, the stage was set for Sussex Academy to claim victory.

Seahawks junior Doug Horton led the inning off with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Eighth-grader Ben Tollet grounded to short, but an error allowed him to reach and Horton to cruise to third. In a tale of redemption, Nate Silva, who was tagged out at the plate in the sixth, launched a ball into left field. Evans unleashed a near-perfect throw, but Horton’s speed was too much as he slid in to walk it off for Sussex Academy 2-1.