Cape softball defeats Caravel on Calciano walk-off
Cape softball hadn’t defeated Caravel in over 20 years, but they did it in sensational fashion May 3, as Ava Calciano slammed a three-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to move the Vikings to 15-0 on the season.
Cape took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Calciano was walked, stole second and was driven in by Hayden Hudson.
Bucs senior Payton Losten tied the game at one in the second when she doubled and was knocked in by sophomore Mackenzie Hunter.
Caravel took a 4-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning when senior catcher Zayda Rocke went yard with a three-run homer over the right-field fence.
The never-say-die attitude of the Vikings came to the forefront in the bottom of the sixth when Bri Windish doubled on a Kaley Arrowsmith pitch. Outfielder Alivia Longo came in to run for Abi Crouch, who hit an infield single. Arrowsmith pitched carefully to Calciano and walked her for the third time in the day. Alivia Heers took advantage and pounded a single to score Windish and Longo. Payton Losten came in from the bullpen for the Bucs with the bases loaded to pitch to senior first baseman Hayden Hudson, who went 4-for-4 in the game. Hudson sent a double to the fence to score Longo and Calciano and tie the game at four.
The crowd’s anticipation could cut a knife as Cape held the Bucs scoreless in the seventh on superb pitching by Abby Marsh and a diving catch by Olivia Mekulski to end the Bucs’ threat.
Cape got the first two batters on in the bottom of the seventh, Buehler with a single to center and Longo with a walk. Calciano gave Johnson a choice to walk her again and pitch to Heers, who is hitting .488, or try to get the Vikings leadoff batter, who is batting .526. The Bucs chose to pitch, and Calciano made them regret it with her long walk-off over the right-center fence of Bill Cordrey Field to end the game 7-4.
“I just wanted to get a base hit,” said an excited Calciano. “I feel so amazing. It was such a great team effort. I’m so proud to be on this team.”
“If we gotta go seven innings, we’ll go seven innings,” said head coach Mike Tkach. “What I’m proud about is we had such a contribution from everyone on this team. I just love how everyone gave their all for the team. It was a championship atmosphere, with everyone from the community coming out to watch us play. I want to thank them for supporting us like this.”
“I’m extremely proud of the team behind me,” said winning pitcher Abby Marsh, who is 13-0 on the season. “We had our moments when stuff went bad, but we clawed our way back. The outfield was awesome; Mekulski with the diving catch was fantastic. We need those kind of plays like that and we get them.”
Cape assistant coach Allison Sullivan was an assistant when the Vikings’ team last defeated the Bucs in 2004.
“I believe in this team day and day out,” she said. “There is never a doubt in my mind that they would not pick each other up and battle back. This one was special for so many reasons, and I am truly honored, humbled and grateful to be on this journey with them. A successful team beats with one heart.”
Cape will host Smyrna (7-6) Tuesday, May 6, at Bill Cordrey Field.
