ERMA — Although the Caper Tiger spring sports teams have been knocked out of the playoffs, the baseball team pulled a first-round upset before facing the top seed.
The Lower Cape May Regional High School boys (12-15) were the No. 9 seed in the South Jersey Group II sectional and traveled to No. 8 seed Barnegat (11-12) on May 27.
The Caper Tigers put together two big innings to start the game, scoring eight runs and then polished off Barnegat with a three-run sixth inning for the 11-4 victory.
LCMR scored five runs in the first inning and three in the second to get out to a lead the boys never relinquished.
Sean Kelleher led the team with three hits, all singles, three RBI and two runs scored. Teammate Matt DiCave didn’t record a hit in the game as he reached base on three walks and was hit by a pitch, but he scored three runs, the most of any of the Caper Tigers.
Caden Elwell had two hits and Aydan Heacock, Drew Kronenmeyer, Cade Heacock, Ty Heacock and Ashton Ray all recorded a single in the game. Aydan Heacock and Cade Heacock had two RBI each.
Kelleher, Aydan Heacock and DiCave shared time on the mound in the victory. DiCave struck out five.
The Caper Tiger boys did not fare as well in the quarterfinals when they faced top seed Haddonfield (22-5). The Bulldawgs spread out scoring over four innings for the 7-0 win that ended LCMR’s season.
DiCave recorded four strikeouts in the loss on the mound.
Boys lacrosse
The LCMR boys lacrosse team was knocked out in the opening round of the South Jersey Group I tournament by No. 4 seed Shore.
Shore (12-5) beat the No. 13 Caper Tigers (7-11) 15-4 by building a 7-1 lead in the first half and adding eight more in the second. LCMR put up four goals in the game.
Girls lacrosse
The Caper Tiger girls lacrosse team also bowed out in the first round of the South Jersey Group I sectional, falling 17-7 to No. 5 seed Woodstown (14-3).
The LCMR girls (10-9) entered the tournament as the No. 12 seed. They were down 5-1 after the first period but outscored Woodstown 4-2 in the second. They trailed 7-5 at the half and Woodstown scored only two goals to their one in the third period before breaking it open with eight goals in the final stanza.
Ainsley Reed and Nora Shoffler each had three goals and an assist in the game. Brooke Robinson added a goal and an assist.
Caper Tiger goalie Sophia Vitelli made 24 saves.
Softball
The Caper Tiger softball team just made the cut for the South Jersey Group II sectional, but that put them in the crosshairs of No. 1 seed Gloucester, a team ranked in the top 20 in New Jersey.
Gloucester (16-5) pounded the LCMR girls 16-1, putting up six runs in the first inning and another seven in the second.
Kaylei DeLeon, Raegan Notch and Abigail Pellicano all had singles and Notch an RBI that scored DeLeon.
Kylie Winslow took the loss on the mound for the young Caper Tiger team that featured few returning starters and finished the season 4-15.
By DAVID NAHAN/Cape May Star and Wave
