New Kent defeats Grafton to take over top spot in district standings

New Kent’s Thomas Wilson extends his form as he delivers a pitch towards home plate.

In a battle of the top teams in the Bay Rivers District, New Kent’s Trojans looked to extend their winning streak as they hosted the visiting Grafton Clippers. And while the game got off to a rocky start, it was the Trojans who emerged on top of the standings when the game had concluded.

After submitting three runs in the top of the first, New Kent rallied behind small ball and stellar defense to take down Grafton 5-3 in Friday afternoon’s affair.

Early on, Grafton rattled New Kent starting pitcher Thomas Wilson. After Brady Norris and Josh Bornhoft had reached base for the Clippers, teammate Carter Hayes sacrifice hit drove home Norris and the first run of the game. A connection by Blaine Griffin produced an RBI double, pushing the visitors’ lead out early. Later on in the inning, V.J. Jackson singled, allowing Griffin to trot home as the visitors took a 3-0 lead even before taking the field for defense.

But those runs would turn out to be the only ones in the contests for Grafton, as New Kent rebounded starting in the bottom of the first. Michael Hetzel started the scoring with an RBI single. Teammate Nile Gammon followed suit with one of his own, cutting the Clippers lead down to one (3-2).

In the bottom of the third, Gammon struck again on the offensive end. With two runners on base, his RBI triple added two runs to New Kent’s total, providing the hosts their first lead of the contest (4-3). Matthew Gentry added to the Trojans’ lead in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI double, stretching the advantage to two (5-3) for the hosts.

Meanwhile, Wilson calmed down on the mound and the strikeouts began to pile up. Contributing to a few adjustments, New Kent received some defensive sparks as Dillon Mickles made two amazing grabs, keeping the Trojans out of trouble and maintaining the lead. In the top of the seventh, Wilson fanned Cruea before handing duties over to Lane Boyette for the save. Despite facing a bases loaded situation, Boyette struck out Grafton’s Hayes before Tyler Warren’s snag and toss to Mickles for a force out concluded the contest.

After the game, New Kent Head Coach Trevor Ronan talked about the effort his team put forth in the game.

“We have to continue to practice like we play, bottom line,” he said. “The defense did their job today.

“We are getting it together and gelling in the right ways at the right time,” Ronan concluded.

New Kent’s win streak rises to seven, while their record improves to 14-3.