Cape baseball wins wild offensive game with Central
In one of the wildest offensive finishes of the season, Cape outlasted Sussex Central 15-13 April 16, at the Golden Knights’ baseball diamond. The teams combined for 23 hits and 28 runs, with 14 of those runs coming in the sixth and seventh innings alone.
Sussex Central came out strong, building a 6-3 lead after two innings. The Vikings answered with two runs in the third, three runs in the fifth, then erupted for seven in the sixth inning to take control.
The Golden Knights refused to go quietly, plating one run in the bottom of the sixth before mounting a late surge in the seventh to put a scare into the Vikings. However, the rally fell just short, and Cape held on for the two-run victory.
Joe Ruark led the offensive charge with a double, a triple and four RBIs. Max Selders went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, while Emmett Wheatley added a double, two RBIs and scored three times. Liam Mitchell chipped in with two hits and a run scored.
Dom Mangini earned his fourth win of the season, battling through four innings. Wheatley and Jack Simeone pitched in relief to help secure the victory. Simeone picked up the save.
“We did a really nice job of continuing to compete and fight in the box,” said Cape coach Ben Evick. “We didn’t let being behind change our game plan. Emmett [Wheatley] has been swinging very well, and Joe [Ruark] has been tremendous over the last two games with eight RBIs. Dom [Mangini] didn’t have his best stuff today, but he battled through four innings to get the win.”
Christopher Hall and Logan Comley led the Knights offensively. Hall went 3-for-5 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored, while Comley finished 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs.
The Vikings will host a much-improved Odessa squad Tuesday, April 21, at Chris Short Field.
Dan has worked for the Cape Gazette for more than 30 years as a photographer and reporter, covering high school sports and happenings around eastern Sussex County. He won a photography award from the National Newspaper Association, and numerous awards from the Maryland, Delaware, D.C. Press Association. A Delaware native, Dan graduated from Cape in 1972 and returned as a teacher and coach in the 1980s. He retired from the classroom in 2016. He was inducted into Cape High’s Legends Stadium in 2016. In his spare time, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife, two sons, grandchildren and dogs.
