MICHAEL PISTELLA Mariner senior Dan Cohill smacks a leadoff double to the right field fence in the second inning against Riverdale Friday night. More photos are available online at: cu.cape-coral-daily-breeze.com.

The Mariner Tritons almost waited too long to get going against Riverdale Friday night in a game that determined the second and third seedings for the District 4A-11 Tournament.

Trailing 4-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, the Tritons started a comeback. The Raiders helped a little, too, with a couple of errors and wild pitches. The Tritons capitalized and scratched for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull out a 7-6 victory.

Riverdale appeared headed for a victory when leading 3-0 after five innings.

The Raiders (17-4) got their first run after two were out in the first inning. Kyle Waldrop walked, stole second and continued to third on a throwing error. Ryan Connelly singled to left to drive in the run.

In the fourth, Connelly singled, stole second and continued to third on a throwing error. He scored the second run on Josh Corkhill’s groundout to second.

Jordan Turner started off the fifth hit by a pitch. On second base with two out, Turner scored the Raiders’ third run on Garrett Greenwell’s single to center.

While the Raiders were building their lead, the Tritons were squandering their own scoring chances.

The Tritons had at least one runner on base in each of the first five innings, stranding six overall. Two baserunners were picked off first and second, caught in rundowns, on the same play in the third inning. It was an unfortunate double play because Martin Evans ripped a bad hop shot down the left field line that would have scored one run.

The Tritons put two runners on again in the fifth when Taylor Walker and Audry Santana both singled. With two out, both move up to second and third on a wild pitch, but Walter Cleary struck out looking to end the threat.

But in the sixth, it was a different story for the Tritons, who struck for four runs to tie the game 4-4.

Daniel Alimonti doubles to lead off the inning and Jason Carmichael (3-for-4) followed with an RBI single. Three batters later, Colt Masters reached on an error with a run scoring on the play. Another run scored on a wild pitch.

After the Raiders reclaimed a 6-4 lead, the Tritons had to rally again in the seventh.

Alimonti walked while Dan Cohill (2-for-4) and Carmichael each singled to load the bases. Sean Pasek grounded back to the pitcher, who threw the ball down the right field line to allow the tying runs to score.

That put Taylor Walker in the batter’s box with one out. Walker hit a chopper to third base with Carmichael digging for the plate to score the game-winning run as the ball was bobbled.

The Tritons (20-3) earned the No. 2 seeding for the district tournament with the win. They travel to Estero Tuesday to face the Wildcats for the LCAC championship.

Riverdale 100 111 2 – 6 6 4

Mariner 000 004 3 – 7 10 3

W – Walter Cleary. L – Kyle Waldrop.

2B – Dan Cohill (M), Jason Carmichael (M), Daniel Alimonti (M).

Softball

Cape Coral 18, Dunbar 0: Cape Coral scored five runs in three of the four innings they batted to crush Dunbar in the regular-season finale.

Amanda Kopale belted two doubles and a home run and Tara Higgins socked three doubles to lead the Seahawks, who also got four hits from Payton DiLallo and two each by Shannon McBride and Cassie Maselter.

Brenna Harkins pitched a no-hit shutout and struck out 11 batters.

Cape (13-8) faces Ida Baker at 5 p.m. Monday in the District 4A-11 Tournament at Riverdale.

Dunbar 000 00 – 0 0 4

Cape Coral 553 5x – 18 19 0

W – Brenna Harkins (12-8). L – Benedict.

2B – Amanda Kopale (CC) 2, Tara Higgins (CC) 3. HR – Amanda Kopale (CC).

Track & Field

The Mariner boys’ team is coming to the end of the regular season hoping to contend for another title as the 12-team District 3A-12 meet looms next Wednesday at Ida Baker.

Throughout the season, the Tritons have won team titles at the Lehigh Relays, Naples Relays, Edison Relays, North Port Invitational and Clewiston Invitational meets.

They placed fourth at the the recent LCAC Championships while setting multiple school records. Andrew Dukas and Harrison Kuchman topped the previous school record in the 400-meter dash while placing 1-2. David Tyrrell shattered the 300 hurdles record once in the prelims and the again in the finals to win that event.

The 4×400 relay team of Tyrrell, Kuchman, Dukas, and George Rueska beat their previous school record by three seconds with their first-place finish. Dukas also was an LCAC champion in the long jump and Kuchman won the LCAC title in the triple jump.

Wheelchair shot put and other field events start at 10 a.m. with running prelims scheduled to being at 1 p.m. The final events are slated for 5 p.m., or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the prelims.