Marks comes up just short in no-hit bid as Cape conquers IR 4-0
Cape senior Brad Marks came within two outs of a no-hitter as the Vikings downed Indian River 4-0 in Dagsboro April 16.
“They're very gritty; they don't strike out a lot … [they’re a] very good two-strike approach team, so I knew I was gonna have to get them to roll over, especially because the wind was blowing so hard,” Marks said.
Marks was referring to a seventh-inning hit that took off into right field and seemed to be carried by the wind to the warning track, where a racing Emmett Wheatley nabbed it to seal the deal for Cape. The bases were loaded with two outs after Marks had conceded his first hit with one out in the seventh and squeezed in a strikeout between two walks.
Trey Hitchcock opened up the scoring in the top of the first inning when he laced a double that plated Brady Kosc. Hitchcock was then driven in by Wheatley, who then scored on an error the next at-bat to give Cape a 3-0 lead.
“Our guys stepped up there; they came out the first inning and put some runs up,” said coach Ben Evick. “We knew it was going to be a tight game [because] IR is always a well-coached team and they play well.”
Hitchcock ended the game with three hits.
“I just trusted my work today, and it paid off,” Hitchcock said. “I was seeing the ball really well and got the pitches I liked and got aggressive in the middle.”
“Trey was on everything,” Evick said. “He seemed to square up on every pitch he saw.”
Wheatley rounded out the scoring for the Vikings in the fourth inning when sophomore Aaden Johnson hit a sacrifice fly into center field.
The four runs were all the team needed as Marks finished with seven strikeouts in the complete-game shutout. He surrendered one hit to go along with five walks.
“Brad came out and he was just dealing,” Evick said. “He was throwing a lot of strikes and getting outs quickly.”
The Vikings travel to Caravel Academy Saturday, April 19.
