After winning a thrilling VISAA Division I baseball semifinal 2-1 over Paul VI on Friday night, top-seeded Benedictine fell to reigning champ Cape Henry 6-2 in Saturday evening’s championship game at Shepherd Stadium in Colonial Heights.
Cadets pitcher Daniel Lingle tossed a complete game in the win over Paul VI. A William & Mary recruit, Lingle struck out six while allowing one run on four hits and went 2 for 3 at the plate, including what proved the game-winning, two-run single in the sixth inning.
Benedictine coach Sean Ryan said Lingle dealt with an offseason arm injury and had been building back to full strength throughout the season.
“He picked the right night to pitch his best game of the year,” Ryan said, adding that his staff had only in the past couple weeks decided to let Lingle hit for himself while pitching.
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“And he came up with the biggest hit of the season for us, a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth with two outs and the bases loaded to give us the 2-1 win.
“He’s been through a lot. I was happy for him to end (the season) the way that he did. He was so instrumental in us winning the 2021 state championship by picking up saves at Shepherd Stadium in the semifinal and the final, just as a sophomore. So he’s had a really tremendous run at Shepherd Stadium.”
The Cadets closed their season 24-8-1.The Dolphins won their second consecutive VISAA crown.
Ryan said Cape Henry junior Parker Wight, a James Madison recruit, was the difference offensively in the championship game. He homered, tripled and singled, going 3 for 4 with four RBIs.
Benedictine had its opportunities offensively, Ryan said, but its bats went cold at the wrong time, stranding 10 runners on base. Cadets juniors Elijah Coston and Riley Roarty (Old Dominion recruit) each doubled to produce the first run, and the other came on an infield hit.
“We just couldn’t seem to get the big hit when we needed it, even though at times we hit the ball hard right at people,” Ryan said, adding that his group was in the game the whole way but could not push across the key runs in the big moments.
Roarty and sophomore Jake Wise, who won nine games this season, gave Benedictine some strong innings on the mound.
“Unfortunately, some of those hard-hit balls didn’t fall for us,” Ryan said.
“Cape Henry played a really clean game and didn’t make many mistakes, and that’s how you end up being a two-time state champion.”
Benedictine plays a demanding schedule, with games against the state’s best programs bunched up in quick succession. Despite the title-game outcome, Ryan was left with a strong sense of pride in looking back on his group’s season in which the Cadets earned the top seed at the state tournament.
“To end up with 24 wins with that sort of schedule says a lot about the talent and makeup of our team,” Ryan said.
“They faced a lot of challenges and they overcame a lot of really good opponents to put themselves in a position to win a state title. So I can’t say how proud I am of the group. It was a fun year. We were hoping to get that last one, but it doesn’t diminish the fact that we won 24 games with one of the hardest schedules in the state.”
Track and field
St. Catherine’s narrowly missed out on a state championship, and the Collegiate boys finished second in Division I with 64.42 points at Friday and Saturday’s VISAA track and field meet at Sports Backers Stadium.
The Saints finished with 112 points, just four off of state champ Potomac’s 116 points. The Collegiate girls placed fourth at 95.33 points. Trinity Episcopal (14 points) and Saint Gertrude (10 points) were 13th and 14th, respectively.
Trinity Episcopal and Saint Christopher’s placed fifth in the boys team standings with 50.42 points apiece, and Benedictine was 10th at 28 points.
The Veritas girls and Banner Christian boys were the top local finishers in Division II with 30 points, good for ninth place, and 20 points, good for 11th place, respectively.
Local individual champions
Girls
200: Hampton Turton, St. Catherine’s, 25.55; Caroline Wulff, St. Catherine’s, 11:43.72; 100-H: Piper Shannon, St. Catherine’s, 16.47; 300-H: Piper Shannon, St. Catherine’s, 48.35; 4x800 relay: Collegiate (R. Ferrell, G. Ferrell, Wells, Harris), 9:53.34; TJ: Aseye Gatty, St. Catherine’s, 35-1.75; DT: Gabi Deglau, Collegiate, 134-7; SP: Gabi Deglau, Collegiate, 328-0.5.
Boys
200: William Hoffler, Trinity Episcopal, 21.76; 400: Nathan Sims, Trinity Episcopal, 49.36; 1600: Stan Craig, Collegiate, 4:17.83; 3200: Stan Craig, Collegiate, 9:29.79; PV: Victor Olesen, Saint Christopher’s, 15-6.
Photos: Remembering Jim Brown (1936-2023)
FILE - Former football great Jim Brown, left, President of the Black Economic Union, confers with Mrs. Anne Faulkner, 74, in her poor neighborhood at Holly Springs, Miss., Feb. 11, 1970. Brown led about 25 black athletes for the firsthand look at conditions his BEU hopes to improve. In background is Leroy Kelly of the Cleveland Browns. (AP Photo/File)
FILE - Fullback Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns hurdles through a big hole for a 3-yard touchdown run in the first quarter of a football game against the Chicago Cardinals, Oct. 12, 1958 in Cleveland. NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, May 18, 2023, with his wife, Monique, by his side, according to a spokeswoman for Brown's family. He was 87. (AP Photo/File)
FILE - In this Aug. 5, 1966, file photo, heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali, right, visits Cleveland Browns running back and actor Jim Brown on the film set of "The Dirty Dozen" at Morkyate, Bedfordshire, England. NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, May 18, 2023, with his wife, Monique, by his side, according to a spokeswoman for Brown's family. He was 87. (AP Photo/File)
FILE - Jim Brown, center, picks up a trophy presented by NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, to the members of Cleveland Browns 1964 Championship Team, at Severance Hall in Cleveland, Friday, Sept. 10, 2004. At left is Bernie Parish, and at right Paul Wiggin. The original trophy presented to the team after their 1964 victory over the Baltimore Colts is in the possession of the Green Bay Packers, who were the 1965 Championship Team. NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, May 18, 2023, with his wife, Monique, by his side, according to a spokeswoman for Brown's family. He was 87. (AP Photo/Jamie-Andrea Yanak, File)
FILE - Jim Brown is introduced before the inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame Fan Fest Friday, May 2, 2014, at the International Exposition Center in Cleveland. NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, May 18, 2023, with his wife, Monique, by his side, according to a spokeswoman for Brown's family. He was 87. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan, File)
FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2014, file photo, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown meets with other participants of the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky. NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, May 18, 2023, with his wife, Monique, by his side, according to a spokeswoman for Brown's family. He was 87. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)
FILE - Jimmy Brown (32), running back for the Cleveland Browns, is shown in action against the New York Giants in Cleveland, Ohio, on Nov. 14, 1965. NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, May 18, 2023, with his wife, Monique, by his side, according to a spokeswoman for Brown's family. He was 87. (AP Photo/File)
FILE - Cleveland Browns fullback Jim Brown, left, and quarterback Tommy O'Connell, shown autographing footballs, are set for National Football League championship game with the Detroit Lions at Briggs Stadium in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 27, 1957. NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, May 18, 2023, with his wife, Monique, by his side, according to a spokeswoman for Brown's family. He was 87. (AP Photo/Julian Wilson, File)
FILE - Jim Brown, who set the National Football League rushing record of 12,312 yards while playing for the Cleveland Browns, sits pensively in his home, Tuesday, Sept. 19, 1984, Los Angeles, Calif. NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, May 18, 2023, with his wife, Monique, by his side, according to a spokeswoman for Brown's family. He was 87. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon, File)
FILE - Pro Football Hall of Fame football star Jim Brown talks to a reporter following a news conference at his home in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angeles, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 1999. NFL legend, actor and social activist Jim Brown passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home on Thursday night, May 18, 2023, with his wife, Monique, by his side, according to a spokeswoman for Brown's family. He was 87. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)
Former Cleveland Browns Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown, right, is honored during a ceremony and statue outside FirstEnergy Stadium before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
FILE - In this Oct. 2, 1960 file photo, Jim Brown sails over the line for a fourth quarter touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers, in Cleveland. Jim Brown only played until 1965 but his impact in the first six years of the '60s was enough to make him perhaps the most dominant player in the NFL during that period. (AP Photo)
Former NFL football player Jim Brown and pastor Darrell Scott, right, attend a news conference outside the West Wing of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2020, in Washington. It was announced that President Donald Trump has granted a full pardon to Edward DeBartolo Jr., former owner of the San Francisco 49ers NFL football team convicted in a gambling fraud scandal. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
