Walk-off hit finishes LCM’s comeback vs. Middle in baseball playoff

Posted: May 24th 2024

By DAVID WEINBERG

For CapeAtlanticLive.com

LOWER TOWNSHIP – Lower Cape May Regional High School’s baseball team has never won a South Jersey championship.

The Caper Tigers used a dramatic rally on Thursday to keep their title hopes alive.

Evan Shoffler’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning capped a late-game comeback and clinched a 4-3 victory for the fifth-seeded Caper Tigers over 12th-seeded Middle Township in the first round of the South Jersey Group II tournament.

“As a senior, we didn’t want our season to end (with a loss at home),” Shoffler said.

Shoffler, who is headed to Shippensburg University in the fall, made sure his career will last at least one more game. He blasted a curveball to the base of the left-field fence, scoring Cade Heacock from second.

EVAN SHOFFLER: Game-winning RBI in 7th

As soon as Heacock crossed the plate, Lower (15-11) chased Shoffler into the outfield and doused him with ice water while spectators cheered. The team then brandished a flag with a giant ‘W’ and posed for pictures.

“I have all the confidence in the world in Evan in that situation,” Lower coach Ryan Slaney said. “He always thrives in those moments.”

Shoffler was outstanding at the plate and on the mound. He went 3 for 4 as the leadoff hitter and scored a run in addition to driving in the game-winner. As the winning pitcher, he scattered five hits while recording 14 strikeouts.

But it almost wasn’t enough.

Shoffler, who threw a no-hitter against Middle last week, appeared headed for a similar outcome after retiring the first nine Panthers he faced.

But Middle (9-13), a young team that starts three freshmen, stunned the home crowd in the fourth. The Panthers loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a fielder’s choice. Antonio Panzini cleared them by smashing a double down the left field line to give Middle a 3-1 lead.

Lower tied it at 3-3 with a pair of unearned runs in the sixth. Designated hitter Matt DeCave roped a sharp single to left, then the ball got past Middle’s left fielder as two runs scored.

Aside from the late rally, Middle right-hander Tyler McDevitt delivered a solid outing, scattering six hits while holding a dangerous Lower lineup to one run through the first five innings.

“I’m extremely proud of our kids,” Middle coach Chris Branigan said. “After Shoffler no-hit us last week, we worked hard to make adjustments and that gave us a shot at the end. I couldn’t be more proud of the way they worked.”

Lower advances to a quarterfinal game at No. 4 Cedar Creek next Wednesday.  Cedar Creek earned back-to-back wins over the Caper Tigers in April.

Lower has been playing much better lately, however. Thursday’s win was its ninth in the last 10 games.

“When we got back from our Florida trip (early in the season), it felt like we never got off the plane,” Slaney said. “When we played Cedar Creek after that, we were very flat. I like our chances this time. I’m excited.”