Cape baseball was “Runnin’ Down A Dream” in the top of the first inning. Austin Elliott sent a deep shot to left-center field of spacious Frawley Stadium that was caught. Zack Gelof, who had doubled to open the game, tagged from second and just kept running, sliding safely into home for a 1-0 Cape lead.

The boys were back in town. The class of 2018, who had made the finals as freshman, were back in the show to complete the mission and bring Cape baseball its first state championship in 50 years.

There was plenty of drama for you and your mama over the next seven innings, but David Erickson was dealing on the mound, and he took a 5-0 three-cushion sofa into the bottom of the sixth inning.

But the Buccaneers’ bats woke up and scored three runs. They were threatening to score more with runners on second and third with one out, when an in-between humpback liner into the dead zone between second base and right field was caught over the shoulder by Lucas Johnson.

“I just threw it back toward the infield,” Johnson said.

The cutoff man threw to third for an inning-ending double play.

Cape closed it down in the bottom of the seventh, with Mason Fluharty recording the final out for a 5-3 Cape win. Then it was a Kool and the Gang celebration that lasted 30 minutes.

“Just an unbelievable feeling,” said 40-year-old head coach Ben Evick, who did a half-gainer over the dog pile of players, landing on his back. “We came here to win this thing, and a credit to our players, they just showed up and got it done.”

Erickson struck out nine batters and only gave up one hit through the first five innings.

Jake Gelof ripped a two-run single in the top of the second for a 3-0 Cape lead.

Erickson roped an RBI double in the fourth inning that scored Fluharty to extend the lead to 4-0. Left-handed swinger Zach Savage flared a ball down the left-field line for an RBI double in the fifth to round out Cape’s scoring.

Erickson had tears in his eyes after the game, as did Zack Gelof and most coaches and players. Cape fans in the stands snapped, crackled and popped; it was wild.

A police fire and rescue escort awaited the players at Route 16 to lead the team back to the high school.

“The players rode the Cape highway back to the high school with their heads out the window,” said Bill Henry Buckaloo, who made it happen. “They were really excited.”