By Andy Walter

WILMINGTON — Caesar Rodney High’s baseball team didn’t have the best record or the highest ranking.

But the Riders are headed to the DIAA state championship game anyway.

Sixth-seeded CR managed to post a 1-0 victory over No. 2 Sussex Tech in a memorable semifinal pitchers’ dual at Frawley Stadium this afternoon.

The hard-earned victory sends the Riders to the baseball state title game for the first time since 1994 and for just the fifth time in its history.

CR (16-5) will return to Frawley on Saturday for the championship game, which is slated to start at 7 p.m. The Riders will play the winner of today’s second semifinal matchup between top-seeded Sussex Central and No. 13 Salesianum.

CR’s only baseball state championship came in 1975 when the Riders beat Claymont, 7-2.

“It’s a feeling I can’t even describe,” said Riders’ coah Jeff Gravatt. “We’ll enjoy this tonight and tomorrow we’ve got a lot of work to do to get prepared for Saturday.

“These guys are tough. Every game we go into as an underdog, we end up coming out on top. I embrace it.”

In a rematch of a regular-season game Sussex Tech won 1-0 at Frawley Stadium on April 23, the contest’s only run came in the top of the sixth inning.
Sophomore Will Lorentz dropped a bloop single just inside the right-field line that scored Graham Buckson from second base.

The Henlopen North champion Ravens got two runners to second base in the bottom of the sixth. But CR pitcher Steve Donigan got out of the jam.

Donigan allowed just two hits and struck out 10 before leaving the game with two outs in the seventh because of pitch-count rules.

Sussex Tech got two runners on base by walk. But Riders’ catcher Ethan Wisler caught a foul pop-up for the final out as CR’s players streamed onto the field to celebrate.

Ravens’ pitcher Gavin Hudson was just as impressive in the matchup. The junior righthander had 11 strikeouts while allowing only three hits.

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