Smithfield 3 New Kent 2 (baseball)

New Kent’s Trojans got runners in scoring position in each of the last two innings, but could not drive in the tying run, allowing Smithfield’s visiting Packers to escape with a 3-2 Bay Rivers District baseball win.

“That’s our third one-run loss in eight games, and that’s been the story of our season,” said Trojan coach Ronnie Cox whose team fell to 2-6 in the district with the April 8 outcome.

“It was a tough loss,” he said. “They got a crucial hit with two outs in both the third and fourth innings, and we left runners on base in scoring position in the last two innings.”

New Kent, however, jumped in front 1-0 in the second inning. Al Hammill stroked a leadoff double into left field and scored on B.J. Fox’s single into the right-center field gap.

But Smithfield moved ahead in the next frame with two away as Austin Smith lined a two-run single down the left field line. Then in the fourth and again with two out, Tyler Peacock tripled into the gap in right-center to up the Packer advantage to 3-1.

New Kent got one run back in the fifth after Mitchell Baker led off with a triple to center. He scored on Jake Williams’ sacrifice.

On the mound, meanwhile, Trojan hurler Jimmy Newcomb went the distance, holding the Packers in check after the third inning.

Hammill led off the Trojan sixth with a single and eventually worked his way to third, but left-handed Packer reliever Kevin Griffey got three straight batters to ground out, stranding Hammill.

In the Trojan seventh, Jake Jones’ bunt with two gone drew a wild throw past first base and out of bounds. Jones took second, but New Kent’s bid to force extra innings ended when Newcomb flied out to right to end the game.

“Jimmy pitched very well and we made some good defensive plays,” Cox said, “but we didn’t get the hits when we needed them.”