#17 Dover (14-6) @ #4 Cape Henlopen (17-3). Dover and Cape played back in early May. Elliott took on Velazquez. Cape was putting up runs, going up 7-0 by the top of the 6th before Dover put up 2. Cape won easily 8-2. Cape/Dover are no strangers obviously as Henlopen North rivals. Cape won their meeting in 2017 (6-1) with Erickson beating out Davis on the mound. But prior to that let us remember that Dover was pretty dominant in this rivalary winning 6 of the 8 previous meetings and by some pretty big scores. Dover and Cape have never met in the post season though.
2018 Playoffs:
CAPE
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. Gelof and Elliott will both be eligible to throw.
DOVER
Last Thursday, Dover “upset” higher ranked IR by scoring 5 runs in the first to give Davis (2-2) a cushion and go on to win 7-4. He pitched 6 innings and struckout 8. Carrington had 3 hits and got the save on the mound. Dover moved onto the next round visiting #1 ranked Wm Penn, who was the hottest team in the state with 15 straight wins. Dover again jumped out to a 1st inning lead scoring 2 on a Carrington 2 run shot. WP had tied it up in the 5th before Dover exploded in the top of the 7th with 5 runs. Velazquez pitched 6 plus innings striking out 12 to get the win throwing 106 pitches. Dover visited #8 ranked Sallies in the quarters. Carney started and was chased out early with Sallies scoring 3 in the first inning. Davis came in to shut the Sals down though over the next 6 innings as Dover chipped away and tied it up late. Dover finally stole home in the 9th inning to go ahead 4-3 and Velazquez came into to close it out. Carney and Velazquez will be eligible on Friday but Velazquez might have issues with total pitches in a week if he throws. I believe he can only throw 205 total through Friday night and he is at 130 currently.
Tourney Experience:
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 3rd Semi Final Appearance.
Dover was upset in the first round in the tourney last year losing 8-0 to DMA. In the 49 year history of the state tourney, Dover has appeared in the tourney now 27 times with a record of 25-25 overall. Dover has one title, back in 1972. This is Dover’s 12th Semi Final Appearance, but they have only advanced twice. Dover has been in the last 4 out of 5 semi finals.
SUMMARY
Dover is averaging just over 6 runs per game while allowing just over 3 runs per game both during the season and in the tourney. Cape is scoring over 8 runs per game on average and in the playoffs while allowing 3. I’m assuming Velazquez will start while Dover hopes to get some runs before he gets in pitch count trouble. Cape will have either Elliott or Gelof going and will not be apt to give up those runs. Dover seems to be hot and in the mood to slay the dragons here at seasons end, but Cape seems to have a date with destiny this year.
2018 Playoffs:
CAPE
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. Gelof and Elliott will both be eligible to throw.
DOVER
Last Thursday, Dover “upset” higher ranked IR by scoring 5 runs in the first to give Davis (2-2) a cushion and go on to win 7-4. He pitched 6 innings and struckout 8. Carrington had 3 hits and got the save on the mound. Dover moved onto the next round visiting #1 ranked Wm Penn, who was the hottest team in the state with 15 straight wins. Dover again jumped out to a 1st inning lead scoring 2 on a Carrington 2 run shot. WP had tied it up in the 5th before Dover exploded in the top of the 7th with 5 runs. Velazquez pitched 6 plus innings striking out 12 to get the win throwing 106 pitches. Dover visited #8 ranked Sallies in the quarters. Carney started and was chased out early with Sallies scoring 3 in the first inning. Davis came in to shut the Sals down though over the next 6 innings as Dover chipped away and tied it up late. Dover finally stole home in the 9th inning to go ahead 4-3 and Velazquez came into to close it out. Carney and Velazquez will be eligible on Friday but Velazquez might have issues with total pitches in a week if he throws. I believe he can only throw 205 total through Friday night and he is at 130 currently.
Tourney Experience:
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 3rd Semi Final Appearance.
Dover was upset in the first round in the tourney last year losing 8-0 to DMA. In the 49 year history of the state tourney, Dover has appeared in the tourney now 27 times with a record of 25-25 overall. Dover has one title, back in 1972. This is Dover’s 12th Semi Final Appearance, but they have only advanced twice. Dover has been in the last 4 out of 5 semi finals.
SUMMARY
Dover is averaging just over 6 runs per game while allowing just over 3 runs per game both during the season and in the tourney. Cape is scoring over 8 runs per game on average and in the playoffs while allowing 3. I’m assuming Velazquez will start while Dover hopes to get some runs before he gets in pitch count trouble. Cape will have either Elliott or Gelof going and will not be apt to give up those runs. Dover seems to be hot and in the mood to slay the dragons here at seasons end, but Cape seems to have a date with destiny this year.
