By Andy Walter

WILMINGTON — Brogan Evick let the ball fly, trying not to focus on everything that was riding on it.

But when the Appoquinimink batter swung and missed for the final out, it was pretty clear what had been at stake.

Cape Henlopen High’s baseball players came storming out of the dugout and were soon piled up in the infield, celebrating their 4-1 victory over the Jaguars in the DIAA baseball state championship game at Frawley Stadium on Monday night.

A moment earlier, the top-seeded Vikings’ lead was hanging on by a thread. Third-seeded Appo had the bases loaded and the count was full for Evick, a reliever who was facing only his third batter of the night.

“I thought I had him beat with a fastball so I just threw it right at his hands,” said Evick. “And he swung through it.

“I couldn’t feel anything. It was crazy. Then all my boys ran out to me. It was awesome.”

After winning the program’s first state crown in 2018, this year’s Vikings (21-2) became only the ninth Henlopen Conference team to a win a baseball state title and just the second since 1993. Cape Henlopen finished with a 20-game winning streak.

“I can’t even put it into words,” said winning pitcher Josh Reinhold, who went six and a third innings. “This team is so awesome. We’ve played together since we were 10 years old. This is just a dream come true. It’s unbelievable.”

The Vikings ended up winning their last three state tournament games by a total of just five runs.

“It’s extremely hard,” Cape coach Ben Evick said about winning a state title. “I don’t know another sport where it’s this difficult. It is grueling to get through this.

“We told this team coming in, ‘Look, you guys are going to compete. We know that. But we’re going to be in battles. Sometimes it takes luck, sometimes it takes grit and determination.’”

Considering the Vikings beat Appo (19-3) only 2-1 during the regular season, there was every reason to think it would be a close, low-scoring game again. And it was.

With the game tied 1-1, though, Cape Henlopen erupted for three sixth-inning runs.

Senior Austin Rhue reached on an infield single and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter Nick Cox then drilled a triple to left-center that scored Luke Crouch.

Cox finished the play by scoring on a throwing error.

“I was really nervous,” said Cox, who was the winning pitcher in the Vikings’ state semifinal win over St. Mark’s. “I went in cold. (But) I just crushed that ball. That was the best feeling I had all day.”

Appo, which had a six-game winning streak snapped, was in the state finals for the third straight year and for the fifth time overall. The Jaguars didn’t go away quietly, though.

Cameron Coco led off the seventh with a double into the left-field corner. But after a discussion among the umpires, they ruled that the play had been waived dead before the ball was hit because a bullpen gate was open.

After a heated discussion, Appo coach Mike Torres was ejected from the contest.

Rheinhold ended up retiring Coco but the next two batters reached base on a single and an error. Rheinhold then had to leave the game after reaching his pitch limit.

Brogan Evick, the coach’s son, got one out before loading the bases on a walk. That set the stage for the final dramatics.

Cape Henlopen broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the third. Just after Appo starter Aidan Deakins had struck out five straight batters, the Vikings strung together three straight two-out singles.

Catcher Brenn Scott lined a single to right that scored Brian Fleming, who started the rally with an infield single.

But the Jaguars answered right back in the top of the fourth. Junior Travis Peden launched a triple to deep centerfield before scoring on a sacrifice fly from Chase Thomas to even the score at 1-1.

In the fifth, Cape’s Tim Hitchcock reached third base with two outs. But Deakins got a strikeout to end the inning.

When it was all said and done, though, the final strikeout of the season and the state crown belonged to Cape Henlopen.

“That was the best feeling ever,” said Cox. “That was so great. I’ve so happy for this team and how far we’ve come.”

“Every one of them is a part of this victory,” said Ben Evick. “You just hope. You’ve got faith in your guys and you put him in positions where you think they’re going to come through. You hope that we’ve coached them to competing in those spots.

“And they did. They made me look good.”

Notes

Deakins struck out nine in five innings for Appo. ... Cape’s only in-state loss was to Dover. ... The past Henlopen Conference teams to win state championships were: Cape Henlopen (2018), Seaford (1993, ‘86, ‘83, 80), Sussex Central (1989), Caesar Rodney (1975) and Dover (1972). ... Monday’s matchup was first time that two traditional public schools have played in the finals since 2015 when Appo and Cape also played for the crown. ... The Blue-Gold All-Star Game will be played on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Frawley Stadium.