#4 Cape Henlopen (18-3) @ #2 Caravel (17-2). These two teams did not play each other during the regular season. They did play each other last year early in the season. It was a back and forth affair. Caravel went up 5-0 in the 2nd inning, but Cape responded scoring 5 in the bottom of the second. Caravel got a run in the third and Cape got 2 in the fourth to make it 7-6 Cape. Caravel scored in the top of the 5th to tie it at 7. But Cape scored two in the bottom of the 5th to go up 9-7. Cape scored again in the bottom of the sixth to pull ahead 10-7. Caravel scored 4 runs in the top of the 7th to win it 11-10. In 2016 Silan beat Erickson in a pitchers duel 2-1 via walkoff. In 2015 Caravel won the regular season matuchup, but Cape beat Caravel in the Semis. Prior to 2015, Caravel had beaten Cape in 6 consecutive seasons that I’m aware of.
2018 Playoffs:
Cape Henlopen
Cape played Newark Charter in their first game and attacked them early and often beating them 12-2. Elliott through 53 pitches in 4 innings to get the win. Zach Gelof hit his 7th homer of the season. Cape didn’t have it so easy this past game against Appo needing extra innings to win via walk off. Appo jumped on Erickson early scoring 2 in the first inning. But Cape returned the favor putting up 4 in the bottom of the 1st. Both exchanged runs again in the second to make it 5-3 Cape. Appo scored 1 in the 4th and again in the 6th to tie things up. Then Cape scored in the bottom of the 8th to win it. Erickson threw 100 pitches and Elliott threw 45. In the Semi Finals, Cape battled Dover for 10 innings in an epic battle. Dover went up 3-0 by scoring a run in each of first three innings. Velazquez was dealing for Dover holding the Cape hitters to 1 run after 4. But after Velazquez got to his pitch limit, Cape got 3 runs in the bottom of the 5th to take the lead 4-3. Dover scored in the top of the 7th inning to tie it up. Dover scored in the top of the 10th to take the lead but Cape got 2 to win via walkoff. Z Gelof threw 57, Fluharty 73, Elliott 91. So everyone but Elliott can pitch on Monday. Erickson is allowed 100 plus pitches on Monday.
Caravel
In their first game, Caravel shutout DMA 4-0 in what was actually a close game. Caravel went up 1-0 in the first, then put up another run in the 3rd to go up 2-0. But the score stayed the same until the bottom of the 6th when Caravel put a couple more insurance runs to lead 4-0. Silan pitched well and threw 110 pitches. On Wednesday, Caravel took on St Georges. St G went up 3-0 in the first with a 3R HR by Riley off Holiday. Caravel would battle back with a run in the 2nd and 2 more in the 4th off Riley to tie it up. They both scored a run in the fifth stay tied at 4. St G scored a run in the top of the 6th to get out in front, but only to have Caravel tie it up in the bottom of the seventh. Silan came in and shut down St G in extras, with Caravel winning with a walk off in the 9th. Holiday 97 pitches, Silan 42 pitches. In the semi final game with St Marks, Caravel pretty much dominated from the onset. Keister started on the mound and held St Marks to 2 runs after five plus innings. Caravel was leading 10-2 at that point midway through the 5th inning with 4 runs in the 2nd, 3 runs in the fourth and a single run in the 5th and a pair of runs in the top of the 6th inning. St Marks did stage a comeback scoring 4 in the bottom of the sixth but it was too late as Caravel won 10-6. Keister threw 97 pitches, Silan 49 pitches. Everyone but Keister is available. Silan is allowed 100 plus pitches on Monday.
Tourney Experience:
Caravel is in its 28th post season (5th most) and has won 5 state titles, including last year. They are 46-22 in post season games (3rd most in games played as well as won). This is their 10th championship game. They have played in 5 of the last 7 championship games, winning 3 times. A title here would put Caravel at 6, tied for 2nd most with Sallies and Newark (St Marks has 14).
Cape has only made 10 prior tourneys, but has now been in 4 straight. Cape had a dream season in 2015 and got to the championship game after beating Sallies and Caravel, but losing to Appo in the final. The last two seasons they went out in the quarter finals. This is only Cape’s 2nd championship game in their long history and they have never won a title.
SUMMARY
Caravel is averaging a little over 6 runs per game and allowing just over 2 runs per game…but they have allowed 11 runs in the past tourney games with St Georges and St Marks. They have had 9 shutouts this year and 10 games keeping their opponents 1 run and under. For Caravel their ace Silan is available for over a 100 pitches and they also have Holiday available as well.
Cape is scoring over 8 runs per game on average while allowing 3 this year. But in the tourney they have allowed 5 runs in their last two games while scoring 6. For Cape their ace Erickson is available and is allowed just over a 100 pitches. Elliott is the only pitcher not available to Cape.
These two teams have pretty much been the top two teams all season. Cape has had a dominant run with probably the deepest pitching and the biggest bats. Caravel has been a little more unassuming than in previous years but have allowed one of the fewest per game amount of runs all season. Assuming both go with their aces, we could be in for a pitching treat. Silan went 7-1 and Erickson 5-1. I think Cape has the deeper and stronger team, but I think Silan against Cape hitters will be very interesting.
2018 Playoffs:
Cape Henlopen
Cape played Newark Charter in their first game and attacked them early and often beating them 12-2. Elliott through 53 pitches in 4 innings to get the win. Zach Gelof hit his 7th homer of the season. Cape didn’t have it so easy this past game against Appo needing extra innings to win via walk off. Appo jumped on Erickson early scoring 2 in the first inning. But Cape returned the favor putting up 4 in the bottom of the 1st. Both exchanged runs again in the second to make it 5-3 Cape. Appo scored 1 in the 4th and again in the 6th to tie things up. Then Cape scored in the bottom of the 8th to win it. Erickson threw 100 pitches and Elliott threw 45. In the Semi Finals, Cape battled Dover for 10 innings in an epic battle. Dover went up 3-0 by scoring a run in each of first three innings. Velazquez was dealing for Dover holding the Cape hitters to 1 run after 4. But after Velazquez got to his pitch limit, Cape got 3 runs in the bottom of the 5th to take the lead 4-3. Dover scored in the top of the 7th inning to tie it up. Dover scored in the top of the 10th to take the lead but Cape got 2 to win via walkoff. Z Gelof threw 57, Fluharty 73, Elliott 91. So everyone but Elliott can pitch on Monday. Erickson is allowed 100 plus pitches on Monday.
Caravel
In their first game, Caravel shutout DMA 4-0 in what was actually a close game. Caravel went up 1-0 in the first, then put up another run in the 3rd to go up 2-0. But the score stayed the same until the bottom of the 6th when Caravel put a couple more insurance runs to lead 4-0. Silan pitched well and threw 110 pitches. On Wednesday, Caravel took on St Georges. St G went up 3-0 in the first with a 3R HR by Riley off Holiday. Caravel would battle back with a run in the 2nd and 2 more in the 4th off Riley to tie it up. They both scored a run in the fifth stay tied at 4. St G scored a run in the top of the 6th to get out in front, but only to have Caravel tie it up in the bottom of the seventh. Silan came in and shut down St G in extras, with Caravel winning with a walk off in the 9th. Holiday 97 pitches, Silan 42 pitches. In the semi final game with St Marks, Caravel pretty much dominated from the onset. Keister started on the mound and held St Marks to 2 runs after five plus innings. Caravel was leading 10-2 at that point midway through the 5th inning with 4 runs in the 2nd, 3 runs in the fourth and a single run in the 5th and a pair of runs in the top of the 6th inning. St Marks did stage a comeback scoring 4 in the bottom of the sixth but it was too late as Caravel won 10-6. Keister threw 97 pitches, Silan 49 pitches. Everyone but Keister is available. Silan is allowed 100 plus pitches on Monday.
Tourney Experience:
Caravel is in its 28th post season (5th most) and has won 5 state titles, including last year. They are 46-22 in post season games (3rd most in games played as well as won). This is their 10th championship game. They have played in 5 of the last 7 championship games, winning 3 times. A title here would put Caravel at 6, tied for 2nd most with Sallies and Newark (St Marks has 14).
Cape has only made 10 prior tourneys, but has now been in 4 straight. Cape had a dream season in 2015 and got to the championship game after beating Sallies and Caravel, but losing to Appo in the final. The last two seasons they went out in the quarter finals. This is only Cape’s 2nd championship game in their long history and they have never won a title.
SUMMARY
Caravel is averaging a little over 6 runs per game and allowing just over 2 runs per game…but they have allowed 11 runs in the past tourney games with St Georges and St Marks. They have had 9 shutouts this year and 10 games keeping their opponents 1 run and under. For Caravel their ace Silan is available for over a 100 pitches and they also have Holiday available as well.
Cape is scoring over 8 runs per game on average while allowing 3 this year. But in the tourney they have allowed 5 runs in their last two games while scoring 6. For Cape their ace Erickson is available and is allowed just over a 100 pitches. Elliott is the only pitcher not available to Cape.
These two teams have pretty much been the top two teams all season. Cape has had a dominant run with probably the deepest pitching and the biggest bats. Caravel has been a little more unassuming than in previous years but have allowed one of the fewest per game amount of runs all season. Assuming both go with their aces, we could be in for a pitching treat. Silan went 7-1 and Erickson 5-1. I think Cape has the deeper and stronger team, but I think Silan against Cape hitters will be very interesting.
