Cape baseball wins the state championship
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.”
