A tale of two seasons has led Cape Central to their second consecutive quarterfinal appearance.  After a 4-14 start, it looked like the Cape Central Tigers were headed for a disaster of a season, but then it clicked. The Tigers have now won eight in a row after defeating the Festus Tigers 6-4 this afternoon in a sectional matchup. The Tigers improved their record to 12-14 and are one of the more unlikely teams to advance, and a team that is streaking at the right time and playing with the confidence it takes to advance to the state semi-finals.

“We really got off to a slow start offensively the first month, and we have some guys that can hit. We had a few one run losses where we played real well,” said Central head Coach Steve Williams and their slow start. “We are having confidence with the bats now and we are starting to score runs and put the pressure on the other team.”

Cape Central wasted no time putting runs on the board, plating two runs in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter Christian Cavaness led the inning off with an infield single. A walk to Vance Toole and a single up the middle by  Ryan Seibert loaded the bases with no one out. Ramsey Scott drew a bases loaded walk, scoring Cavaness putting Central up 1-0. Thomas Crocetti was able to push Toole across the plate, grounding into a double play and putting the Tigers up 2-0.

Cape Central would put four more runs across the board in the second inning with a two out rally. Central would load the bases for the second consecutive inning, after consecutive singles by Kyle Thompson, Cavaness, and Toole. In what should have ended the inning, Seibert grounded out to Festus SS Jared Brown who made an errant throw to first allowing Thompson and Canavess to score and advancing Toole to third and Seibert to second. Consecutive RBI singles by Scott and Crocetti scored Toole and Seibert putting the Tigers up 6-0, a lead they wouldn’t surrender.

Festus would cut the lead to 6-2 in the third. Travis Spraul hit a hard line drive to centerfield for a single, and the ball took a bad bounce getting by Cavaness allowing Spraul to reach third. A single by SS Jared Brown would drive in Spraul. After Brown advanced on a passed ball, CF Caleb Wilkerson doubled to deep right center, driving in the second run of the inning.

A bases loaded sacrifice fly by Mitch Neel in the fifth would cut the lead to 6-3. Festus would threaten in the top of the seventh scoring a run after a leadoff double off the bat of Spraul and a one out RBI single by Wilkerson.  With Wilkerson on first, twice the tying run would come to the plate, and twice Central starting pitcher Chase Hagerty would get them out.

Perhaps the most impressive performance of the game was that of freshman pitcher Chase Hagerty of Cape Central.  Hagerty went the distance, scattering ten hits and showing the confidence and skill of a seasoned veteran, pitching out of trouble and closing out the game with the tying run at the plate twice. Hagerty is a player we will be keeping our eyes on over the next few years.

“Chase has matured all season long and is such a competitor,” said Williams on Chase Haggerty. “He battled and battled today, he didn’t have his best stuff. For him to go out there and compete just spreads throughout our team. His competitiveness helped lead us to victory.”