The hopes were as high as the heat in Milton July 6 for the Cape girls' 9- and10-year-old Little League All-Stars as they lost to Nanticoke-Seaford 20-6 in their first game as a team.

The Cape 9- and 10-year-old team is made up of young players from Lewes, Milton and Rehoboth, coached by Mike Dunmeyer, Katie Goldsboro and Becky Huling. The team anxiously awaited the start of the game, which was delayed nearly an hour because the umpires had been given the wrong start time.

The young all-stars left two runners on base in the top of the first inning but couldn't get on the board. In the other half of the inning, the Nanticoke-Seaford girls scored six runs after a few walks and fielding mistakes.

Mackenzie Irelan led off the second inning for the Cape team with a walk and seemed to get the girls going as she eventually scored the team's first run. Irelan was followed to the plate by three teammates as the girls only trailed 6-4 headed into the bottom of the second inning.

The Nanticoke-Seaford girls extended their lead in the second as Cape pitcher Savannah Mumford struggled to throw strikes in the intense heat. Mumford was relieved by Kelsey Huling, but the experienced bats of Nanticoke-Seaford kept adding on to their lead.

The Cape girls didn't give up and added two more runs in the top of the fourth inning as Brynn Parker earned a walk, Kaniah James hit a double and Huling added an RBI. The Cape rally wasn't enough as Nanticoke-Seaford moved on in the top bracket as the Cape girls were dropped to the bottom bracket of the tournament.

The Cape girls were later eliminated for the tournament dropping a 12-10 contest to Woodbridge on July 7.