Tanner Schaedel’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth gives Cape Henry the VISAA Division I state title
It was a loud bus ride for the Cape Henry Collegiate Dolphins on Sunday evening as the team returned home from Colonial Heights.
But there was good reason for the celebration.
With two outs in the ninth inning, Tanner Schaedel hit a bases-loaded, RBI single to help the Dolphins beat Miller School of Albemarle 5-4 to win the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I championship at Shepherd Stadium. The title was the third for Cape Henry, but the first in Division I.
The title took two days to achieve since the game was suspended on Saturday because of inclement weather.
With the game tied at 0, Devin Christopher hit a solo homer in the top of the third inning to give the Mavericks a 1-0 lead.
The Dolphins (26-3) responded with four runs in the bottom of the third to take a 4-1 lead, but Miller, managed by former MLB All-Star pitcher Billy Wagner, came back with three in the sixth.
Neither team scored again as the game went into extra innings. It was the second time the Mavericks (14-13-2) played extra innings in the tournament; they needed nine innings to beat No. 3 seed Bishop O’Connell in the quarterfinals.
But this time, it was Cape Henry that came out on top.
With two outs and the bases empty, Josh Holland was hit by a pitch on an 0-2 count. Andrew Hart followed with a single to left. Harper Cox then walked to load the bases.
That left it up to Schaedel, who delivered with a line-drive single up the middle to bring home Holland with the winning run.
“I am so happy for the boys, their parents, our administrators and my fellow coaches. I have the hardest-working coaching staff and I am ecstatic for them,” said Cape Henry coach Tim Hummel, who won his second state title. “I am extremely proud of the work this group of young men put into this season. They bought in from day one. (We had) tremendous leadership from our upperclassmen.”
VISAA Division I championship
Miller School 001 003 000 - 4 8 1
Cape Henry 004 000 001 - 5 6 0
Larry Rubama, 757-446-2273, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com Follow @LHRubama on Twitter.
