New Kent gains big early lead while pitching preserves 7-5 win over Grafton

Teammates wait at home plate to congratulate a smiling Mitchell Metheny whose three-run second inning blast over the center field fence opened a 7-1 New Kent lead.

Alan Chamberlain photo

New Kent bats roughed up Grafton pitching for seven runs on an equal number of hits in the first two innings of Friday’s baseball clash. The hosts Trojans managed just two hits the rest of the way, but the pitching of Mitchell Metheny and Aaron Wiggins blunted a Clipper comeback, helping the hosts to secure a 7-5 upset.

“This is really a big win for us,” an elated Trojan head coach Michael Kuper said. “[Grafton] was the last undefeated team in Bay Rivers so this puts us in a good position.

“Coming out and jumping on top like that gave us a lot of confidence that we could really beat these guys,” he added.

New Kent, now 4-2, rocked Clipper started Joey Majewicz for three runs on four hits in the first. Strong wind caught leadoff hitter Jacob Rivera’s towering infield popup, dropping the ball safely between a pair of Clipper defenders. Ridge Ellis then singled past shortstop and Shawn Cousins walked to load the bases.

Metheny’s fly to right scored Rivera, and Ellis raced home on Cousins’ steal attempt at second. Mason Tate singled past third, setting up Jared Mitchell for a RBI triple to the fence in the left-center field gap.

Grafton got one run back on a second inning homer, but New Kent bats exploded again, this time after two were out in the bottom of the frame. Rivera singled between shortstop and third while Ellis walked. The Clippers pulled Majewicz for Jack Vaszkowski, but Cousins greeted the reliever with a RBI single to left. Metheny then lofted a three-run blast over the center field fence to create a 7-1 advantage.

Metheny, New Kent’s starter, cruised through four innings before running into a jam in the fifth. Grafton put together a four-run uprising, capitalizing on two walks and an error and just one hit.

But Wiggins came on to put out the fire. After issuing a leadoff walk in the sixth, he struck out the side and then set the Clippers down in order in the final frame to save the game for Metheny.

“Metheny was getting tired, but he had a good outing,” Kuper said. “Wiggins came in and did a fantastic job shutting the door on them.”