Indian River softball outlasts Cape for 9-8 win
In weather more suited for a team of ducks April 11, the Cape softball squad’s comeback came up short in the seventh inning, as Indian River held on to take a 9-8 victory back to Frankford. The Vikings move to 3-1, while the Indians are 4-3.
Each team had seven hits. The Vikings had base runners in every inning and scored in five of the seven innings.
IR got on the scoreboard in the first inning when Sophia Scurci scored on a ground out by Parker O’Shields.
With one out in the second inning, Cape’s Alivia Heers went yard to tie the game. The Vikings continued to hit hard, scoring two in the third and fourth innings to take a 5-2 lead into the sixth. That’s when the hardest rain came down and the water wings fell off for Cape.
IR lit up the Vikings for seven runs in the sixth. Cape issued two walks and committed three errors. IR capitalized with two doubles. But the Vikings weren’t ready to dry off their bats.
With one out in the seventh, Abby Marsh doubled to left. Kenna Justice hit a pop fly, but the IR third baseman lost the ball in the rain and dropped it. Marsh scored to cut the deficit to 9-7. Natalya Roundtree slammed a fly ball to center. it was also dropped, allowing pinch runner Olivia Mekulski to score and the Vikings to edge closer, down 9-8. Eden Frederick then walked to put the go-ahead run on base. With runners on first and second with two outs, the Vikings popped up to end the game.
“Tough loss in tough conditions,” said Cape coach Mike Tkach. “We played well except for one inning. I’m proud the girls continued to play hard, and we were in a good position at the end but came up short. Would love to see them again later in the year in the playoffs. We gotta keep working, do the little things and keep getting better.”
Junior Ava Calciano was 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs.
Marsh went the distance in the pitching circle, allowing seven hits and striking out five batters.
Vikings fall to Caravel
The Vikings traveled to Bear April 13 to take on defending state champion Caravel. The game was tied 0-0 entering the sixth inning when the Bucs sank the Vikings 5-0. Highlights were a two-run double by Zayda Rocke and a two-run single by Kasey Xenidis.
Cape was led by Roundtree, who went 2-for-3. Calciano delivered two singles, Hayden Hudson and Marsh each had a single.
“We played the three-time defending state champs, currently ranked No. 1 and 7-0 on the season, and locked them up in a fierce battle,” said assistant coach Chuck Hudson. “We had the go-ahead run in scoring position multiple times, but we just couldn’t grab the lead. We had many timely defensive plays by the infield – Jaylyn Slater at third, Calciano at short, Milena Buehler at second and Hudson at first. They kept the game close by snagging multiple line drives and converting eight ground ball outs. We also had great pitching by Abby Marsh, who had a two-hit shutout through five.”
The Vikings will face Woodbridge Tuesday, April 16, in Bridgeville.
