New Kent stuns Grafton 5-2 in Bay Rivers baseball

Trojan Steven Carpenter ducks to avoid the tag by Grafton first baseman T.J. Jackson and reach first after a fourth inning bunt.

Alan Chamberlain photo

With their 5-2 upset of perennial powerhouse Grafton, New Kent’s Trojans sent a message that they will be a force to be reckoned with this season in Bay Rivers District baseball.

The host Trojans built a 4-0 lead over four innings and turned back Grafton rally attempts in the fifth and sixth frames in the March 15 contest to even their record at 1-1. Trojan starter and winning pitcher Matt Metheny scattered five hits in five innings of work before giving way to reliever Michael Carpenter who shut down the Clippers on one hit the rest of the way for the save.

“This was just a great, great win for us,” said Trojan coach Ronnie Cox. “We knew we were capable of beating them. We just had to put it all together and today we did.

“Matt pitched extremely well, and Michael came in and closed the door,” he said. “Then we got opportunity hits and good base running that got people into position to score.”

New Kent jumped on top in the first with Mason Downer’s single driving in Dakota Oxendine (fielder’s choice). The 1-0 lead stood until the fourth when the hosts created some breathing room.

To start the frame, Metheny reached base on an error before giving way to courtesy runner Kevin Karaffa. Steven Carpenter followed with a bunt, ducking under the tag attempt by first baseman T.J. Jackson while Karaffa raced to third. Grafton catcher Jordan Spouse, meanwhile, strayed too far away from the plate. An alert Karaffa picked up on the miscue and raced home for New Kent’s second run.

Michael Carpenter’s single to right upped the margin to 3-0. Clipper pitcher Greg Harris then loaded the bases before bouncing a pitch off Downer to force in a fourth run.

Grafton narrowed the gap with solo runs in both the fifth and sixth. New Kent got one back in the sixth as Trey Cox drew a lead-off walk and scored on an Oxendine single to create the 5-2 final. Michael Carpenter then sat the Clippers down in order in the seventh to end the game.

Grafton came into the contest with a 1-0 record and had been considered in preseason as one of the top three teams in Bay Rivers. New Kent, on the other hand, had been picked to finish ninth in the 10-team district.

“I think being picked ninth served as a good motivator for our kids,” said Cox. “That did put a chip on our kids’ shoulders.”