Prep Report: Seahawks post first win 8-4
Cape High took the baseball field Tuesday night against Lehigh with three sophomores and three freshmen in the starting lineup. The lineup also includes several upperclassmen who haven’t had much playing time.
With 13 seniors lost from last season, the Seahawks clearly are a team trying to come together through the early part of this season.
“We’re battling,” Seahawks coach Chris Kelly said, “that’s all I can ask for.”
After opening the season with five consecutive losses, the Seahawks picked up a much-needed 8-4 win over the Lehigh Lightning Tuesday.
Senior left-hander Beau McIlhargey settled in after a rough first inning to earn the win on the mound, and the Seahawks offense erupted for four runs in the fifth to break a 3-3 tie.
Freshman Cain Spangler cracked a two-run triple and freshman Brandon Marshall added an RBI single in the fifth.
“We have four freshmen that are playing a lot and they’re becoming sophomores as the season progresses,” Kelly said. “I expect a lot from them, but sometimes I have to remember they’re only 15.”
The Seahawks (1-5) expected to take some lumps early on and it has unfolded that way. They opened with three losses in the Early Bird Tournament, and had a 3-0 lead on Ida Baker last Friday, but the Bulldogs rallied for a 4-3 win.
The Seahawks dug themselves into a hole Tuesday night, falling behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning, but showed tough resolve after that.
“We’ve been behind in every game this season, so we’re kind of used to it,” Kelly said.
McIlhargey got in trouble by walking two of the first three batters. Lehigh’s Tim Schmidt came through with a two-run single and Melvin Vega followed with an RBI single.
The Seahawks answered quickly with two runs in a wild bottom of the first, which included three Lehigh errors.
McIlhargey scattered five walks in the contest, but pitched well with runners on base after the first inning. He held the Lightning scoreless over the next four innings.
With runners at the corner and two outs in the fourth, McIlhargey got Abraham Valentine to hit a grounder to second for the final out of the inning. McIlhargey also had a runner on in the fifth when Tim Nelson hammered a line drive off his arm, but he recovered to get the out at first.
Several players contributed to the Seahawks’ run production. Sophomore Bradley Kopale reached base four times and scored twice. He came home on a wild pitch in the third, tying the score at 3-3.
In the fifth, sophomore Brian Heminger jumpstarted the attack with a leadoff double. Senior Nick Gillogly followed with an infield single and the ball got away from the first baseman, allowing Heminger to score.
The scoring continued with Spangler’s two-run triple to deep right center and Marshall’s liner to right.
Trailing 8-4, Lehigh threatened in the top of the seventh. The Seahawks made back-to-back errors with two outs, which loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate.
Spangler, who pitched the final two innings, got a flyout to right to secure the win.
The Seahawks are back at home Wednesday against Cypress Lake.
Lehigh 300 001 0 – 4 3 2
Cape Coral 201 041 x – 8 9 3
W – Beau McIlhargey. L – Tim Nelson.
2B – Brian Heminger (C). 3B – Cain Spangler (C).
South Fort Myers 7, North Fort Myers 2: Mike Becker drove in both runs for North Fort Myers, but South Fort Myers rallied with seven unanswered runs to pick up the victory.
Becker had an RBI double and sacrifice fly for the Red Knights (3-4).
They visit Lehigh Thursday.
South FM 000 150 1 – 7 4 2
North FM 101 000 x – 2 3 4
W – Berklin. L – Foster.
2B – Calhoun (S), Williams (N), Becker (N)
Mariner 20, East Lee County 0: Mariner mashed another opponent, this time routing host East Lee County in four innings.
The Tritons (5-0) have outscored their opponents 40-0 in their last three games. They host rival Cape Coral Friday.
Mike Zunino led the attack against East Lee with a double and three RBI. Bryan O’Connor went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and Chris Ford finished 2-for-2 with two RBI.
Mariner 748 1 – 20 15 0
East Lee 000 0 – 0 3 8
W – Ford. L – Krutky.
2B – Zunino (M), Cohill (M), Padfield (M), Alimonti (M). 3B – Cleary (M).
Cypress Lake 3, Ida Baker 1: Despite a complete-game by Matt Mattia, the visiting Baker Bulldogs could muster only one run against Cypress Lake.
Mattia struck out eight Panthers in the contest. The Bulldogs scored their lone run in the seventh on an RBI by Robby Pilgrim.
The Bulldogs (4-3) travel to Gulf Coast Friday.
Ida Baker 000 000 1 – 1 4 2
Cypress Lake 002 100 x – 3 6 0
W – Everding. L – Mattia.
2B – Toops (C).
Softball
Cape Coral 12, Lehigh 0: Brenna Harkins pitched a four-inning perfect game and drove in three runs at the plate to ignite Cape Coral to a rout of Lehigh.
Erica Hoegler had three hits, including a double and two singles, and drove in two runs for the Seahawks. Brittney Cornelius, whose family is moving to Virginia, contributed a triple in her final game.
Harkins (4-4) struck out five to pick up her fourth win of the season.
Cape hosts Cypress Lake Wednesday.
Lehigh000 0 – 0 0 0
Cape Coral071 4 – 12 16 1
W – Brenna Harkins (4-4). L – Galagarza.
2B – Erica Hoegler (CC). 3B – Brittney Cornelius (CC).
Ida Baker 14, Cypress Lake 0: Louie Ross cracked a pair of two-run home runs to power Ida Baker past Cypress Lake.
Katie Rieser (3-for-4) doubled, tripled and drove in three runs for the Bulldogs.
Sierra Myers (2-0) and Tara Sozio pitched a combined four-hitter.
Baker (5-2) plays at Fort Myers Wednesday.
Ida Baker452 30 – 14 10 1
Cypress Lake000 00 – 0 4 3
W – Sierra Myers (2-0).
2B – Katie Rieser (IB). 3B – Katie Rieser (IB). HR – Alexis Ross (IB) 2.
Mariner 14, East Lee County 2: Mackenzie Hunt delivered three hits and scored two runs and Samantha Rapp doubled and scored four times to propel Mariner to victory at East Lee County.
The Tritons put up 13 runs in the first three innings to take command.
The Tritons (3-4) host Cape Coral Friday.
Mariner823 01 – 14 10 1
East Lee County002 00 – 2 2 0
W – Mackenzie Hunt (1-3). L – Rice.
2B – Nikki Roderiques (M), Mackenzie Hunt (M), Sam Rapp (M), Sam Greenwell (M).
Girls Tennis
Cape Coral 7, Island Coast 0: Cape Coral kept its season unblemished Tuesday with a shutout victory over Island Coast.
Renee Deane and Kaitlyn Dampier won at both singles and as a doubles tandem to lead the Seahawks. Ella Barr and Aimee Dolorfino duplicated that feat.
The Seahawks (5-0) next host Fort Myers Thursday.
Singles – Renee Deane (CC) def. Kenzi Polotto 6-1, 6-1; Aimee Dolorfino (CC) def. Kelsey Gates 6-4, 6-4; Kaitlyn Dampier (CC) def. Heather Dubroski 6-3, 6-0; Ella Barr (CC) def. Denise Goldstein 6-0, 6-0; Brooke Blythe (CC) def. Tatiana Bourey 6-0, 6-0.
Doubles – Deane-Dampier (CC) def. Polotto-Gates 8-4; Barr-Dolorfino (CC) def. Dubroski-Goldstein 8-4.
North 7, Cypress Lake 0: Ellen McHugh cruised to a straight set win at No. 1 singles and North swept Cypress Lake at Hancock Park.
McHugh also teamed with Abbey Gunderson for an 8-4 win at No. 1 doubles.
The Red Knights (2-3) host Ida Baker Friday.
Singles – Ellen McHugh def. Diana Morgonthal 6-0, 6-0; Abbey Gunderson def. Mercedes Bunner 6-1, 6-0; Karissa Holden def. Haley Houston 6-3, 6-2; Tanya Moore def. Maura Dowling 6-2, 6-4; Roodelyne Forvil def. Jamie Busch 6-1, 6-1.
Doubles – McHugh-Gunderson def. Morgonthal-Bunner 8-4; Holden-Marissa Durfey def. Houston-Dowling 8-2.
Boys Tennis
Cape Coral 6, Island Coast 1: Colton Weiser and Mason Rodill prevented Island Coast from being swept by winning at doubles, but victory kept Cape Coral undefeated.
The Seahawks (5-0) host Fort Myers Thursday.
Singles – Joel Silverberg (CC) def. Colton Weiser 6-3, 7-6 (7-5); Arthemon Lis (CC) def. Mason Rodill 6-1, 6-1; Shane Pacheco (CC) def. Ron Lind6-0, 6-0; Dylon Dixon (CC) def. Dominic Capizzi 6-2, 6-0; Najja Derrick (CC) def. Chris Quiroga 6-0, 6-0
Doubles – Weiser-Rodill (IC) def. Silverberg-Lis 8-4; Alex Ragonese-Pacheco (CC) def. Lind-Capizzi 8-1
Sports editor Jim Linette contributed to this report.