Caravel wins 4th consecutive softball championship

For the fourth time in a row the Caravel Buccaneers and head coach Randy Johnson are State Champs. They faced a tough Sussex Central team for the third straight year as the No. 1 seeded Bucs defeated the No. 2 seeded Golden Knights 2-0. 

 

It was a beautiful night for a state championship softball game, temps in the 70’s at game time, a light breeze as we waited for the sun to set behind the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware. For the first time, a high school championship was decided under the lights.

 

As expected, this game was a pitchers duel between two senior arms in the circle; Kasey Xenidis of Caravel and Madge Layfield of Sussex Central. They have very different styles of pitching, but are effective in their own right. Layfield with velocity and a deadly riseball, Xenidis with impeccable spin, painting the corners. The defenses put on a show tonight making diving plays, backhands in the hole and dramatic line drives that were caught by players who made it look easy. 

 

Xenidis sat down the Knights in order in the first inning, a huge task just keeping Takyla Davis off the bases. Haley Grygo had Caravel’s first hit and Zayda Rocke reached base on a walk in the bottom of the 1st but were stranded. 

 

Cat Hassler had Central’s first hit in the 2nd, an infield single, advanced to second on a walk by Kruger but both were left on.  Layfield struck out the side.

 

Xenidis would grab her first 2 strikeouts in the third and Layfield only saw 3 hitters as well. 

The battle continued as both pitchers only saw 3 or 4 hitters an inning, making it easy to keep hitters off balance and keep the score 0-0 until the bottom of the 6th. 

 

As the tension mounted we all knew someone had to break the game open and be the impact player for their team. Enter Leah Richardson, Caravel’s leadoff hitter who reached on an infield single, Grygo moved Richardson to second on a sac fly in right field foul territory that allowed RIchardson to tag up and advance. 

 

Coach John Wells intentionally walked Rocke and Paige Richardson drew a walk on 4 pitches. With bases loaded and 2 outs, senior pitcher Kasey Xenidis stepped to the plate.  A moment players dream of, the situations stories are written about – 2 outs, bases loaded, 0-0 game, full count…and Kasey delivered. She put the ball up the middle to centerfield, scoring Leah Richardson and Gabby Baran, the pinch runner for Rocke.

 

That’s all the Bucs needed as they retired the side in the top of the seventh for the win. Head Coach Randy Johnson said “it was a well played game by both teams, and it was a matter of somebody getting a big hit really. I said if this goes 10 or 11 innings, I really like our chances.” 

On Kasey Xenidis’ performance tonight Johnson said “she has worked really hard on her defense and her hitting and her pitching is better this year but she has worked so hard on those two things, it’s amazing.”

 

Kasey Xenidis threw a shutout giving up 3 hits, added 5 K’s, and walked 1 . Kasey said “my drop and curve were working and the change up, even though I’m obviously not a changeup pitcher but to have those 2 good changeups to strike people out is really an accomplishment for me. Mixing pitches to keep their good hitters off balance was really key for me.”

 

The Golden Knights head coach John Wells said “ it was a great game and I’m so proud of my players. They made some great defensive plays tonight. The future is exciting as we have some young players, but it’s a sad ending for the seniors.” To Layfield’s credit she had strikeouts in each inning except the 6th. She gave up 3 hits, had 8 K’s, walked 3, and allowed 2 runs.