Sussex Tech beats Caravel 5-4 to win softball state title

The DIAA state championship of softball was all about a little Delaware Magic. The Caravel Buccaneers of coach Randy Johnson, down the entire game, scored three times in the bottom of the sixth inning, salvaging a chance at victory from the lock jaws of defeat. The game was tied at 4 entering the seventh inning.

“Our pitcher, Carolyn Szymanski started every game for us over the last three years and never gave up more than four runs,” Johnson said. "We got down early and never seemed to be on our game, but I liked our chances.”

Kim Smith opened the seventh for the Ravens with a hit to left field. She was relieved by courtesy runner Cailey Isaacs, who was advanced to second on a fielder’s choice by Cassidy Taylor. Isaacs was moved to third on another fielder’s choice off the bat of Torrie Huk and scored the important go-ahead run in nondramatic fashion on a passed ball.

Smith took to the mound in the bottom of the seventh and was greeted by Caravel catcher Becky Notte, who beat out a slow roller for a base hit. Szymanski followed with a long drive to left way out of the ballpark, but no walk-off, just a foul ball. She followed that by hitting into a double play, and when Nicole Maher flied out to right, the trophy was on its way back to Route 9 west of Georgetown and into the Ravens' showcase.

"We couldn’t get a little wind on that Szymanski bomb and no Carlton Fisk magic,” Johnson said.

“Give their girls credit, especially Kim Smith; they worked hard to get here and deserved to win,” he said.

Notes: Randy Johnson-coached Caravel teams have reached the last five state finals, where he had lost twice to Sussex Tech in 2007 and 2012 and once to Milford in 2009.  Kim Smith, who played for the Delaware Magic, has been coached by Randy Johnson over the years, as have many of the Tech girls including Melissa Joseph. Smith will attend Hofstra University next year.