Poquoson edges New Kent in BRD baseball, softball

Poquoson’s Islanders may be the odds-on favorite to win the Bay Rivers District baseball crown, but New Kent’s Trojans served notice that they could put a dent in the Islanders’ plans.

The host Trojans erased all but one of a three-run deficit in the late innings of their March 21 encounter, but could not draw closer as Poquoson escaped with a 5-4 win. New Kent stranded two runners in both the fifth and sixth frames and left the bases loaded in the seventh.

“We certainly had our opportunities late,” said New Kent coach Ronnie Cox. “Our kids didn’t give up against what is a very good baseball team. A lot of people have them penciled in to win the region.

“This game positions us pretty well in the district,” he said. “If we can hang with them like we did today, it shows we can beat them.”

Poquoson jumped on top 2-0 in the third inning, but New Kent got one run back in the bottom of the frame after Kevin Peddicord stroked an infield hit. Peddicord raced to second on an errant pickoff attempt and took third on a passed ball. He scored on Hunter Pomfrey’s grounder to short.

New Kent evened the affair in the fourth after Steven Allen led off with a single to right. Allen stole second, moved to third on a Kirk Pomfrey single, and scored as Ryan Patterson beat the throw to first on a double play attempt.

A three-run Islander fifth appeared to put the game out of reach, but Kyle Hudgins led off the Trojan half with a single and scored as Allen laced a double down the left field line.

Poquoson averted further damage by getting final outs in both the fifth and sixth after New Kent advanced runners to second and third in each frame.

In the seventh, New Kent continued its attack as leadoff hitter Kyle Henshaw stroked a drive into deep right-center. Right fielder Kyle Crockett robbed Henshaw of extra bases with a backhanded grab on the run near the fence.

But a bad hop on Jimmy Newcomb’s grounder handcuffed shortstop Chad Pinder, opening the door for the Trojans. With two away and Newcomb at second following a balk, Derrick Curtis lined a single into left to score Newcomb.

Kirk Pomfrey followed with a single and Patterson walked to load the bases. But the rally ended there as Crockett, now on the mound in relief, got Willie Driscoll to swing and miss at a 2-2 offering.

After giving up a pair of first inning runs to Poquoson’s Islanders, New Kent’s Lady Trojans held the visitors in check the rest of the way. The hosts, however, could not find the offense to match the defense.

New Kent managed just three hits off Poquoson hurler Maggie Tyler, and the visitors made the two first inning runs stand up for a 2-1 Bay Rivers District softball win. The March 21 loss, coming in their second game in two days, evened the Lady Trojans’ record at 1-1. Poquoson remained unbeaten at 3-0.

“We held them run-wise but not hit-wise,” Lady Trojan coach Betsey Lane said afterward, pointing to seven Islander hits.

“I don’t know if it was because it was Saturday or that we played yesterday against a quality opponent, but we looked like we were drained,” she said. “Our bats were dead, and we just didn’t play New Kent ball.”

Poquoson got started on Sarah Coon’s bouncing single up the middle with two away in the first. Catherine Clavin then drove an Ashley McMichael pitch to the fence in right-center to score courtesy runner Hannah Ealey.

The play, however, didn’t end there. A throw attempting to erase a sliding Clavin at third eluded third baseman Karianne Burcham. The ball rolled away as Clavin bolted for the plate. An error enabled the Poquoson runner to score for a 2-0 lead.

Afterward, New Kent got runners aboard but couldn’t cash in. DeDe Samuels lined a one-out single to left in the home half of the first, but Tyler got a force out and a strikeout to end the inning. In the second, the hosts got two runners on base with one away, but a pair of infield pop-ups halted that threat.

New Kent broke through in the fourth after McMichael walked. She worked her way to third and scored on a passed ball.

In the bottom of the seventh and final frame, Rachel Baldwin led off with an apparent single into right field. But Clavin, playing shallow in right, fired to first in time to nab Baldwin. Tyler then fanned Sarah Barnett and got Dominique Johnson to fly out to center to end the game.