Norfolk native pitches university shutout

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Norfolk County is being represented in Kentucky baseball.

Brady Cappe pitched a complete game shutout for the University of Pikeville Bears on April 7.

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Cappe had the best pitching performance by a Bear this season, and was named the player of the week in the Mid-South Conference Baseball Association.

The 6’2” pitcher threw 140 pitches over nine innings, giving up just five hits and three walks throughout the game, ending in a 6-0 win over Campbellsville University.

This was the first complete game shutout for the university in Kentucky in nearly two years.

“I haven’t had a bad season, it’s been up and down for me, but once I got to the end I thought ‘I’ve been through seven innings, I may as well close it out. Get the job done, basically,’” Cappe said in a phone interview on Monday afternoon.

Cappe said he does not feel more pressure now that he’s performed this well.

“I’ve always been held to a high standard, especially with baseball. So I’m kind of used to it I guess,” Cappe said.

The 21-year-old spent most of his childhood playing for the Port Dover minor baseball association. As he began to excel in the sport, Cappe’s parents, Chad and Cindy, moved their family of five to Brantford for him to play at a higher level. The family has recently moved to Waterford.

The pitcher played baseball in Brantford for a few years before moving up to the Fieldhouse Pirates in Burlington, and then onto the Ontario Blue Jays.

Once he reached the age for college ball, Cappe was offered a scholarship to pitch at Lake Land College in Illinois. He spent two years there honing in on his craft, holding a 3.59 ERA and collecting 62 strikeouts in his second season.

After his two years at Lake Land came to an end, Cappe was offered a scholarship to the University of Pikeville, where he is now attending his first year.

“Right now I’m open minded, whatever happens happens. We’ll see what happens with baseball, but if that doesn’t work we’ll go from there,” Cappe said about his plans for after university.

Cappe currently ranks seventh in the Mid-South Conference, with a 0.265 batting average against. He has earned his first weekly honour of the season, and of his career.

astaylor@postmedia.com