VIDEO, PHOTOS: Heacock helps Lower Cape May cool off Wildwood

Posted: April 30th 2026

Lower Cape May's Caden Elwell catches a pickoff attempt at first base as Wildwood's Gianni Troiano dives safely into the bag during Thursday's baseball game.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

WILDWOOD – When the Lower Cape May Regional High School baseball team’s coaching staff designed its starting pitching setup for this week, the initial plan wasn’t for Ty Heacock to throw against Wildwood Thursday afternoon.

But when Heacock struggled Monday in a loss to Oakcrest, he was lifted from the game early, making him eligible to pitch against the Warriors three days later.

“He didn’t have his best stuff Monday and we decided to yank him,”Lower coach Ryan Slaney said. “When you know a kid doesn’t have it, then he doesn’t have it and sometimes it’s just best to get him out of there.”

Heacock responded with one of the best pitching performances of his young high school career.

The sophomore right-hander scattered six hits, struck out six, walked just one and conceded only one unearned run over six innings to power the Caper Tigers to an 8-3 victory over their county rival.

Heacock allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base just once in his six innings of work.

“We worked on his lower half at practice (Wednesday), and he came out here and really pounded the zone,” Slaney said. “He got a lot of ground outs and pop outs, too, so he threw less pitches out there and he was really efficient. He looked much, much better.”

Heacock made a major impact at the plate, too, going 2 for 4 with a run scored to help lead an 11-hit Caper Tiger attack.

Lower (4-12), which has won two straight after four-game losing streak, scored three times in the second inning before adding a run apiece in the third and fourth. The Tigers then broke open a close game by scoring three times in the seventh to extend its lead to 8-1 before Wildwood scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to set the final score.

Caden Elwell, Nick Rickards and Colin Hewitt also each had two hits, with Elwell, Hewitt and Ashton Ray each hitting doubles.

“The last couple of weeks, we’ve finally been piecing parts of the game together better,” Slaney said. “From a baseball-playing standpoint, it came together the other day against Oakcrest (in a 12-8 win) and then it continued here today. These are some good steps forward for a young ballclub that’s learning.”

Wildwood (11-6), which had a six-game winning streak snapped with the defeat, got two hits apiece from Trevor Troiano, Nolan Mawhinney and Louis Sewell.

“I go back a long way with Rich (Hans, Wildwood’s head coach) and some of his assistants, even back to Little League coaching days and even my playing days,” Slaney said, “so I always love playing Wildwood, They’re a team that always plays with fight, always plays with grit and always plays with heart. Winning a cross-town game is always good.”

Wildwood hurt itself with 10 errors in the field, the Warriors no doubt playing with a bit of a baseball hangover after a big road victory over a very good Buena team the day before.

The two local teams are scheduled to meet again Monday at Lower Cape May.

“It’s always a good game when we play each other so I’m excited to be able to play them again next week,” Slaney said. “Even though it’s a big rivalry there’s always good sportsmanship. It’s always a fun game whether you win or lose.”