The Cape baseball squad delivered a nine-hit performance to win the 2025 DIAA state championship. Shown in back are (l-r) Ben Evick, Tripp Gannon, Seth Brosius, Robbie Payton, Trey Hitchcock, Dom Mangini, Nick Clampitt, Jase Mitchell, Jaxon Clampitt, Matt Griswold and Dave Gordon. In front are Jordan Williams, Max Selders, Jack Simeone, Aaden Johnson, Chase Resnick, Brad Marks, Malachi Woods, Brady Kosc, Jacob Smith, Liam Mitchell, Emmett Wheatley and Joe Ruark. DAN COOK PHOTOS
Cape centerfielder Trey Hitchcock hoists the DIAA trophy. 
The Vikings show off their juice meters after taking the state championship. 
Cape senior pitcher Jaxon Clampitt threw 6.2 innings to pick up his eighth win of the season. 
Sophomore second baseman Aaden Johnson garnered two hits in the contest. 
Cape senior catcher and Delaware Player of the Year Jase Mitchell slams a double. 
Nick Clampitt dives safely back to first.
Cape senior shortstop Brady Kosc throws to first for an out. 
Liam Mitchell drives in Malachi Woods. 
Dominic Mangini slams an RBI single in the third.
Malachi Woods makes a diving play on the ball, but it went just foul.
Conrad’s student section was up for the game.
Cape players show off their traditional mohawks as the raise the championship trophy. 
Senior pitcher Jaxon Clampitt delivers to the plate. 
Brady Kosc snags a ball at short. 
Cape center fielder Trey Hitchcock gets the ball in quickly after a hit.
Caper pitcher Jaxon Clampitt tosses to Liam Mitchell for an out at first.
Senior Chase Resnick runs down and catches a Conrad fly ball. 
Nicholas Dello Buono delivers to the plate for the Red Wolves. 
Jaxon Clampitt turns over the ball to Jacob Smith for the last out. 
Malachi Woods drives in a run.
Cape junior Emmett Wheatley squeezes one for an out.
The Cape student section is ready to celebrate.
Jacob Smith throws a changeup to get the final out of the game. 
Celebrate good times, c’mon.
The game’s two pitchers Jaxon Clampitt, left, and Jacob Smith come face to face in the pile up.
Celebrate.
The Cape bench runs to celebrate with pitcher Jacob Smith.
Cape coach Ben Evick gets in on the dog pile. 
Celebrate.
Jubilation. 
Dominic Mangini gets a hug from coach Ben Evick.
Emmett Wheatley gets major air to celebrate with Jack Simeone.
Brady Kosc, left, celebrates with Jase Mitchell.
Dom Mangini takes it all in. 
Brothers Liam, left, and Jase Mitchell celebrate together. 
The three Cape playoff pitchers were (l-r) Jaxon Clampitt, Jacob Smith and Brad Marks.
Emmett Wheatley takes in the excitement.
The Cape baseball squad delivered a nine-hit performance to win the 2025 DIAA state championship. Shown in back are (l-r) Ben Evick, Tripp Gannon, Seth Brosius, Robbie Payton, Trey Hitchcock, Dom Mangini, Nick Clampitt, Jase Mitchell, Jaxon Clampitt, Matt Griswold and Dave Gordon. In front are Jordan Williams, Max Selders, Jack Simeone, Aaden Johnson, Chase Resnick, Brad Marks, Malachi Woods, Brady Kosc, Jacob Smith, Liam Mitchell, Emmett Wheatley and Joe Ruark. DAN COOK PHOTOS
Cape centerfielder Trey Hitchcock hoists the DIAA trophy.
The Vikings show off their juice meters after taking the state championship.
Cape senior pitcher Jaxon Clampitt threw 6.2 innings to pick up his eighth win of the season.
Sophomore second baseman Aaden Johnson garnered two hits in the contest.
Cape senior catcher and Delaware Player of the Year Jase Mitchell slams a double.
Nick Clampitt dives safely back to first.
Cape senior shortstop Brady Kosc throws to first for an out.
Liam Mitchell drives in Malachi Woods.
Dominic Mangini slams an RBI single in the third.
Malachi Woods makes a diving play on the ball, but it went just foul.
Conrad’s student section was up for the game.
Cape players show off their traditional mohawks as the raise the championship trophy.
Senior pitcher Jaxon Clampitt delivers to the plate.
Brady Kosc snags a ball at short.
Cape center fielder Trey Hitchcock gets the ball in quickly after a hit.
Caper pitcher Jaxon Clampitt tosses to Liam Mitchell for an out at first.
Senior Chase Resnick runs down and catches a Conrad fly ball.
Nicholas Dello Buono delivers to the plate for the Red Wolves.
Jaxon Clampitt turns over the ball to Jacob Smith for the last out.
Malachi Woods drives in a run.
Cape junior Emmett Wheatley squeezes one for an out.
The Cape student section is ready to celebrate.
Jacob Smith throws a changeup to get the final out of the game.
Celebrate good times, c’mon.
The game’s two pitchers Jaxon Clampitt, left, and Jacob Smith come face to face in the pile up.
Celebrate.
The Cape bench runs to celebrate with pitcher Jacob Smith.
Cape coach Ben Evick gets in on the dog pile.
Celebrate.
Jubilation.
Dominic Mangini gets a hug from coach Ben Evick.
Emmett Wheatley gets major air to celebrate with Jack Simeone.
Brady Kosc, left, celebrates with Jase Mitchell.
Dom Mangini takes it all in.
Brothers Liam, left, and Jase Mitchell celebrate together.
The three Cape playoff pitchers were (l-r) Jaxon Clampitt, Jacob Smith and Brad Marks.
Emmett Wheatley takes in the excitement.
The Cape baseball team defeated Conrad 6-4 at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington to bring home the DIAA state championship trophy June 1. It was the third state title in the last seven years for the Vikings. They finished their season at 21-1.
“The guys were locked in from the moment they got on the bus,” said coach Ben Evick in his 16th year at the helm. “They have had a desire to win and not let each other down all year.”
Senior right hander Jaxon Clampitt made it clear in the first inning that he was going to pound the strike zone with all of his pitches all night.
“He was as good as any game this year,” Evick said. “He executed quality pitches in all counts and took us on his back.”
“It’s a great feeling right now,” Clampitt said. “It’s insane. I’ve got so many thoughts right now. I just had to throw strikes. I knew my teammates had my back.”
The Vikings scored one run in the first inning on an RBI by Trey Hitchcock. Cape strung hits together and took advantage of wild pitches and walks to add five more runs in the third to take a 6-0 lead.
Conrad came back with three runs in the fourth inning. But the Vikings would not be denied. The score remained 6-3 until the seventh inning, when the Red Wolves plated another to pull within two with two runners on base with two outs. A dropped ball in the outfield gave the Red Wolves hope, but the Vikings had an answer with their closer Jacob Smith, who came in for Clampitt to pick up the last out on one pitch. He threw his changeup to entice a lazy pop-up to shortstop Brady Kosc to win the game.
“I was a little nervous at first,” said Smith. “But Brady is the best shortstop in the state and I knew he had it to finish the game.”
“For a second, I thought it was over my head,” said Kosc. “I’m so happy I got that ball. I knew that when Jacob came in from the bullpen, he would get things done.”
The Vikings collected nine hits in the game. Kosc, Hitchcock, Emmett Wheatley and Clampitt each had a hit and scored a run. Jase Mitchell added a double for Cape.
Sophomore Aaden Johnson went 2-for-3 with a double in the contest.
“It’s surreal,” said Johnson. ”It hasn’t set in. I have some friends on the Conrad team and they gave us a great fight.”
“I couldn’t be more proud of the year these guys put together,” said Evick. “They are the epitome of what a team looks like, and to win 21 games says it all.”
The Cape baseball squad delivered a nine-hit performance to win the 2025 DIAA state championship. Shown in back are (l-r) Ben Evick, Tripp Gannon, Seth Brosius, Robbie Payton, Trey Hitchcock, Dom Mangini, Nick Clampitt, Jase Mitchell, Jaxon Clampitt, Matt Griswold and Dave Gordon. In front are Jordan Williams, Max Selders, Jack Simeone, Aaden Johnson, Chase Resnick, Brad Marks, Malachi Woods, Brady Kosc, Jacob Smith, Liam Mitchell, Emmett Wheatley and Joe Ruark. DAN COOK PHOTOS
Cape centerfielder Trey Hitchcock hoists the DIAA trophy.
The Vikings show off their juice meters after taking the state championship.
Cape senior pitcher Jaxon Clampitt threw 6.2 innings to pick up his eighth win of the season.
Sophomore second baseman Aaden Johnson garnered two hits in the contest.
Cape senior catcher and Delaware Player of the Year Jase Mitchell slams a double.
Nick Clampitt dives safely back to first.
Cape senior shortstop Brady Kosc throws to first for an out.
Liam Mitchell drives in Malachi Woods.
Dominic Mangini slams an RBI single in the third.
Malachi Woods makes a diving play on the ball, but it went just foul.
Conrad’s student section was up for the game.
Cape players show off their traditional mohawks as the raise the championship trophy.
Senior pitcher Jaxon Clampitt delivers to the plate.
Brady Kosc snags a ball at short.
Cape center fielder Trey Hitchcock gets the ball in quickly after a hit.
Caper pitcher Jaxon Clampitt tosses to Liam Mitchell for an out at first.
Senior Chase Resnick runs down and catches a Conrad fly ball.
Nicholas Dello Buono delivers to the plate for the Red Wolves.
Jaxon Clampitt turns over the ball to Jacob Smith for the last out.
Malachi Woods drives in a run.
Cape junior Emmett Wheatley squeezes one for an out.
The Cape student section is ready to celebrate.
Jacob Smith throws a changeup to get the final out of the game.
Celebrate good times, c’mon.
The game’s two pitchers Jaxon Clampitt, left, and Jacob Smith come face to face in the pile up.
Celebrate.
The Cape bench runs to celebrate with pitcher Jacob Smith.
Cape coach Ben Evick gets in on the dog pile.
Celebrate.
Jubilation.
Dominic Mangini gets a hug from coach Ben Evick.
Emmett Wheatley gets major air to celebrate with Jack Simeone.
Brady Kosc, left, celebrates with Jase Mitchell.
Dom Mangini takes it all in.
Brothers Liam, left, and Jase Mitchell celebrate together.
The three Cape playoff pitchers were (l-r) Jaxon Clampitt, Jacob Smith and Brad Marks.
Emmett Wheatley takes in the excitement.Event Details :
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