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2015 BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

oldskool42

In the weight room getting big
Apr 30, 2012
1,185
304
83
Saturday 1pm at Frawley Stadium

Weather - Expected to be Partly Sunny, Temps in the mid 80's, a little breezy with winds south at around 13 mph.

# 10 Cape Henlopen (14-7) @ #8 Appoquinimink (16-5)

What a great matchup from a lot of perspectives. First of all the public school aspect. There hasn’t been two public schools in the championship game since 1990. Every year since 1990,either St Marks, Sallies or Caravel have participated. That’s pretty crazy. Delaware also hasn’t had a public school champion since 2002. Also, we haven't had a State Champ from the Henlopen Conference since 1993, when Seaford did it. Another aspect is that neither team has ever won a state championship before. Cape had never been to a championship game before, while Appo, in its short history, has been to one in 2011, but lost. Now, short of some act of god cancelling the championship game, one of these teams will have a State Baseball Championship banner hanging in the school.

Cape has had an interesting year. They were coming off a 7-11 season in 2014. One in which they went to Hawaii as a team, but came back to a total collapse, losing its last 7 games. (no more trips for them). Who would have thought of them in the championship game in 2015. They started the 2015 season 4-6. At that point they had 3 losses in the conference and short of running the table, their best bet was to shoot for finishing above .500, not necessarily thinking of playoffs or championship game. But something must have happened at that Caravel game back in April, because they were down 14-1. They had a big rally and made it a little more respectable, losing 16-7. They come out next game to play Sussex Tech who was the conference leader and had a record of 9-1. Cape comes out and scores 10 runs in 4 innings, with Kai Vitella throwing a 4 hitter in his second start of the season. Cape followed that up with a 10-run with over another playoff team, Milford. They drop 9 on IR, beat playoff team, St G 7-3, ten run a decent CR team to get their record to 9-6. They went on to Poly, came from behind by scoring 3 runs in the 7th to go to extras, then scoring 2 in the 9th inning to get the win. They beat Smyrna and end up in a 3 way tie for the conference championship but better yet is that they clinched a spot in the tourney based on their point totals. They get shutdown in the final game of the season to St Marks 6-2, but it doesn’t dampen how hot this team had become. They finished the season 7-1 and locked up the #10 seed and going against Sussex Tech who they embarrassed at the start of their “hot” streak. Surely Tech would be looking for payback, especially on Tech’s field. But Cape squashed that notion, scoring 5 in the opening frame. Then scoring another 3 in the third inning to take an 8-0 lead. Alex McCoy pitched 6 and 2/3 innings of shutout baseball, with Mulcahy, Gelof and Kwan adding the firepower at the plate. Next up was Sallies. Sallies had been even hotter coming into the game with 12 straight wins, including a 5-2 win over Central into the first round of the playoffs. Sallies knocks out Elliott early and goes up 3-0. But this scrappy team wouldn’t be down for long exploding for 9 runs in the 3rd inning crushing Sallies spirit and winning another game to move on. Next up was defending champs, Caravel. Caravel gets a 3-0 lead, but Cape gets out of a further jam in the second. Cape gets a run. Then another, but Caravel comes back and makes it 5-2 in the 4th. Cape gets one back in the 5th, but so does Caravel. 6-3. Cape battles back and ties it up in the 6th. Then the pressure mounts and both teams make plays and put runners on but get out of the jams. Then in the top of the 9th Elliott knocks in 2 to lead 8-6. But Caravel comes back with 2 leadoff baserunners to raise the bloodpressure of the crowd. Caravel gets one and with more runners on, Cape gets the high popup to end the game. Wow…the drama.

Appo came into the 2015 season fired up. The previous year was a little disappointing going 9-9 but after starting off dreadful at 1-6, Appo played really well the second half of the season going 8-3. In 2015, The first game was a loss to Hodgson, but it was a great game by both teams. Then Appo reeled off 7 straight wins including big wins over Concord 8-0, Newark 12-2 and Delmar 11-1, then a 1-0 pitchers duel win over Sallies and three more blowouts over Cape (13-0), Delcastle (15-1) and Mtown (7-1). Then Appo lost a come from behind game to Dover 5-2 with one big inning. Appo played just as well over the 2nd half of the season going 6-3, only losing to playoff teams, St Marks in an 11 inning game, to Caravel 3-1 and Mt P 4-3 to end the season. Appo has played the tough teams really close, even in defeat. Their worst loss was 5-2 to a very good Dover team. So going into the playoffs, they get a tough draw of St Georges. The game was back and forth then tied at 3 going into the 5th inning. Appo scores 2 to take the lead but St G comes back in the 7th to score, but Appo gets out of it with the win 5-4. Appo then travels to #1 seed St Marks, having to pitch its #2 pitcher, Steckline. Steckline allows only 1 run over 6 innings, as Appo squeezed out 1 run in each of the first 3 innings. Banning comes in to close it out and Appo knocks off the #1 seed, 3-1. Appo goes into the Semi Final to face another team that defeated them in the regular season, Dover. Dover won in the regular season with both teams pitching its #2. Now for the semi final game rematch, Dover pitches its #1 Rowley and Appo pitches its #1 Garrett. Both teams are poised to battle it out again. Appo jumps on top of Dover, scoring 3 in the first inning. Dover picks up one to keep it close. Then Appo explodes again with 6 runs in the 4th inning to jump out 9-1. Dover tried to stage a comeback but fell short at 9-4.

Appo is averaging over 5 runs per game in the tourney and giving up 3 runs per game. Cape is scoring over 8 runs per game in the tourney but giving up 5 runs per game on average. Appo will most likely go with Ryan Steckline on the mound. Steckline is a sophomore who was 3-1 in the regular season, who had 2 wins over Concord and a win over Delcastle. His lone loss was to Dover. Steckline also had 2 no decisions. In the playoffs, Steckline was the winning pitcher over St Marks in the second round. Appo doesn’t have Garrett available at all. Banning is their normal closer, he is available as well as Willett who started 2 games and won both. Cape will be without McCoy and Vitella, who both pitched in 4 innings on Thursday and won’t be available at all by my calculation. Elliott pitched in 3 innings on Thursday, but would be available. Gelof and Jarrell have both started games this season but had limited innings. Gelof , who pitched very well on Tuesday against Sallies for 6 innings of relief, would be my bet as starter. As previously mentioned, these two teams met earlier in the season (before Cape was on its hot streak). With Appo beating Cape 13-0. Garrett beat out McCoy on the mound, Garrett pitched 5 scoreless innings, with Banning pitching 2 additional scoreless innings. But the score was just 3-0 going into the fifth, were Appo scored 10 runs over the next 2 innings as that one got out of hand late. Both teams have been hitting the ball well. Both teams should have a guy on the mound that pitched really well in their last outings.

I’m hoping for an exciting game. I really feel this one is a toss-up. It could be a blowout either way or a close low scoring or even a high scoring shootout. Nothing would surprise me in this one. My opinion is that Appo is playing really well this year and is as good as they have been all season, but I think Cape has the hot hand and is finding ways to win. On paper i think Appo has the edge, but I’m leaning, barely, towards Cape.
 
Does anyone know if this game will be broadcast on the radio and if so, what station?
 
8yaz I don't know of any radio broadcast. But at the game they did mention a video broadcast online but I wasn't really paying attention to details. I believe it was part of a national replaying of possibly all games maybe nationwide.
 
8yaz. Nfhsnetwork is where they have videos. Not sure if it's live or just a video after the fact. Or if it costs to sign up. But they list the Appo/cape game.
 
Thank you everyone. As much as I'd love to see this game, life is getting in the way for me today and I can't make it. Pulling for Appo because I really like Kuyrch and I used to coach one of their coaches (dating myself). Either way, I'm happy, as the privates will be spectators today.

Just signed up for a DayPass on NFHS ($9.95). Hope it works on my iPhone cause that's all I'll have access to at game time today.
 
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2 runners in scoring position with one out for cape but Appo gets out of it. Onto bot of 2nd. Appo 4-1
 
Kurych walks. Then steals. 2nd and 3rd Alexander sac fly. 5-1 Appo with 2 out Kurych on 3rd after steal.
 
Bot 3 Appo up 5-1. Otto gets on by error. Steals 2nd. Moves to third on ground out. Knocked in 6-1.
 
Fields single. 1st and 2nd one out. New pitcher. Elliot in. 6-1 bot 3rd Appo.
 
Pass ball runners move up. Another pass ball, run scores. Dropped 3rd strike. Run comes in, batter gets on. 8-1
 
Runner steals. Then another pitch in dirt. Runner to 3rd. 1 out. Willett walks. Kurych grounds out but run scores. 9-1. Walk. Runners 1st and 2nd 2 outs
 
Kennedy on by error. #13 infield single. Elliot lined to right. Runners hold. McCoy single to right Bases loaded for cape. 1 out
 
Fitzgerald singles but caught stealing. Rybicku infield single. Fields pops up. RF gets hurt. But ok. Banning lines out. 10-2 after 4.
 
Willett HBP. But caught stealing. Kurych lines out. Alexander pops out. Onto 6th
 
Bot 6. Steckline pops out. Otto walks. Fitzgerald walks. Rybicki pops out. Fields pops up. Onto top 7. Appo leads 10-2
 
Is that Appo's first championship for the school in any sport?
 
As far as anyone can recall it is. They return a lot for next year, chiefly Garrett and Steckline, so a repeat isn't out of the realm of possibility for them.
 
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