Cape baseball outlasts Central for Henlopen North win

Jase Mitchell celebrate his homer with Jaxon Clampitt in the bottom of the fifth. That put the Vikings up 5-4. DAN COOK PHOTOS

Dan Cook

May 1, 2025

In an epic battle at Cape’s Chris Short Field, the Vikings came from behind in a back-and-forth game to garner a 7-6 victory over Sussex Central to put them atop the Henlopen Northern Division.

Cape earned the victory when Brad Marks hit a two-run single in the sixth inning. He then toed the rubber in the top of the seventh and shut the door on the Golden Knights to record the save.

Jacob Smith picked up the victory, replacing starter Jaxon Clampitt in the sixth. Clampitt threw five strong innings for the Vikings.

Jase Mitchell went 3-for-3 with a home run, double and two RBIs to lead Cape. Emmett Wheatley slammed a double, a triple and had two runs scored. Vikings second baseman Aaden Johnson was 2-for-3 with a double.

Trey Hitchcock went yard in the third to give Cape its first lead.

“It was a good one,” said Cape coach Ben Evick. “We knew it was going to be a tough game. Our guys were focused and showed a ton of grit. We got behind and stuck with our approach. Trey hit a huge home run to give us the lead, and they came back to tie it and then take the lead, but we stuck with it and took the lead back. They guys were locked in the whole game. We made some very good plays and got some timely hits.”

Cape moved to 11-1, while the Golden Knights are 9-3.

Central was led by Jace Jarmon with three hits, including a double and three RBIs.