VIDEO: Injury-depleted Tigers scrap to Warrior Classic title

Posted: May 5th 2024

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

WILDWOOD – Ryan Slaney had a good analogy for the current plight of his Lower Cape May Regional High School baseball team.

“We are running on empty with no fuel site in sight right now,” the head coach said.

The Caper Tigers, however, had enough gas to get across the finish line on Saturday.

Lower Cape May, currently besieged with injuries, particularly to its pitching staff, got past Cape May Tech and host Wildwood to win the four-team Warrior Classic at Maxwell Field.

The Caper Tigers posted a 6-1 victory over Wildwood in the title game, thanks to a five-run fifth inning that saw Evan Shoffler send across the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly before twin brothers Aydan and Cade Heacock each hit two-run singles later in the frame.

For Lower Cape May (8-10), the victory avenged a devastating loss to Wildwood earlier this season, the Warriors rallying from a three-run deficit in the ninth inning to post a wild 11-10 win on April 22.

“Winning this is huge for our program,” Slaney said. “We’re battling through some serious injuries right now. To piece it together the way we did, knowing we have a huge week coming up with some big division games, it’s huge for us.

“This was fun for us. I love the local rivalry stuff, especially the night games, and I really enjoy the Lower-Wildwood games. It’s great for local baseball. I love Wildwood’s program and I tip my hat to (Wildwood coach) Rich Hans for what he does there. If you play with half the heart Wildwood does, it can go a long way. Their kids play with a lot of life. We talked about matching Wildwood’s energy and having heart and our kids did that from the first pitch to the last pitch.”

Lower limited Wildwood to just one unearned run, scored by Ryan Troiano after an errant throw in the first inning. Starter Kody Lewis gave up only two hits and struck out seven across five innings of work. Cade Heacock worked two scoreless innings at the finish for the save.

“Kody’s usually our everyday No. 1 catcher but he’s been huge on the mound for us over the last couple weeks,” Slaney said. “He’s willing to take the ball, throw good pitches and do whatever it takes to help us win.”

Lower tied the game in the fourth when Amari West’s suicide squeeze bunt scored pinch runner Isiah Carr-Wing. The Tigers then took the lead for good with their five-run seventh inning.

Lewis, who also had four hits over the two games, and Shoffler, who tossed a complete game shutout and blasted a long home run in Lower’s 7-0 win over Cape Tech in the tournament opener, were named the tournament’s co-MVPs.

Broc Denke hit a pair of doubles for Wildwood (7-7) in the loss.

In other Warrior Classic games …

First Round - Lower Cape May 7, Cape May Tech 0: Evan Shoffler turned in one of the most dazzling pitching performances of his career, striking out 16 batters (including the 100th of his career) and allowing just two hits to lead the Caper Tigers. Shoffler’s home run in the fifth inning opened the scoring. Hunter Ray and Amari West each had three hits, Kody Lewis and Cade Elwell each added two hits and Asche O’Donnell contributed two RBI in the win.

First Round - Wildwood 12, Middle Township 2: Junior Hans struck out seven, walked only two and gave up just four hits to lead Wildwood. Broc Denke went 2 for 3 with three RBI, R.J. Blanda had a hit and three RBI and Brian Cunniff scored three runs for the Warriors. Denke’s three-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning ended the game on the 10-run mercy rule. Tommy Yarson had two hits and Jerome Booth had a two-run single for Middle in the loss. 

Third-Place Game - Cape May Tech 7, Middle Township 6: Tanner Oliva went 3 for 3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored and Matt Hirt allowed two earned runs in four innings in relief to get the win on the mound to lead the Hawks. Tommy Chiera doubled and scored twice and Ben Lynch chipped in an RBI hit for Tech. Antonio Panzini went 3 for 4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored and Mason Blizzard and Tyler McDevitt each added two hits and two runs scored for Middle. Hirt made a terrific play on a swinging bunt in front of the plate to get the final out at first base with the tying and go-ahead runs on base.