YARMOUTH — Opportunistic and energized, Cape Elizabeth’s baseball team is peaking at the ideal time in the Class B South playoffs.
And suddenly, the unheralded Capers find themselves in the semifinals.
Friday afternoon at fourth-seeded Yarmouth in a quarterfinal delayed a day by bad weather, fifth-seeded Cape Elizabeth scored an unearned run in first inning, then rode the talented right arm of Colin Smith before adding four late runs to secure a 5-0 victory.
Brady Inman had two hits, including a zany bunt single that turned the momentum for good, and Charlie Song added a pair of hits as the Capers (11-7) set up a date with top-seeded Greely on Saturday.
“I think the baseball gods were definitely on our side today,” said Cape Elizabeth Coach Glenn Reeves. “It was good pitching, timely hitting, great defense and some luck.”
Yarmouth starter Sam Lowenstein walked three batters in the first inning but was on the brink of escaping after picking off a runner, but back-to-back wild throws on a pickoff attempt allowed Gabe Harmon to score the only run the Capers would need.
Cape Elizabeth got out jams in the first two innings after the Yarmouth put two men on with nobody out. Gibby Sullivan lined into a double play in the bottom of the first, and Smith made a terrific play on an attempted squeeze bunt to throw out a runner at home in the second.
Smith retired 11 in a row before the Capers added a pair of insurance runs in the fifth.
Curtis Sullivan singled leading off, then Inman bunted down the third-base line. The ball rolled into fair territory, then veered back onto the line and hit the third-base bag.
“Even I stopped,” Inman said. “Coach was yelling to me to get to first base. It worked out in the end.”
Song followed with a single on an 0-2 pitch to load the bases, and both Harmon and Smith hit sacrifice flies to make it 3-0.
Cape Elizabeth put it away in the seventh. Inman doubled to chase Lowenstein, and Song followed with an RBI triple against Sullivan before Song scored on a Harmon groundout.
Smith then closed it out by inducing a double play.
“We’ve been battling all year,” said Smith, who just three hits and two walks and struck out five. “We were due to win today.”
Yarmouth (11-7) hit the ball hard all day, but often right at a fielder.
“Things did not go our way today and it breaks your heart,” said Yarmouth Coach Marc Halsted. “I love and respect these kids so much. It’s bigger than winning and losing. You want your kids to be successful and you care so much.
“We’ll worry about next year tomorrow. Today’s about the seniors. I’m just so proud of them.”
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