New Kent and Poquoson play to a 7-7 baseball tie on Senior Night

New Kent Ashton Whitlow slides into second base safely, as Poquoson’s Eli Tyndall (15) and Tyler Martin (right) determine who is going to catch the ball.

Robb Johnson photo

There are some rarities in baseball at the high school level. New Kent’s Trojans experienced that on May 10.

After four hours and 10 innings of play, New Kent had to settle with a 7-7 tie against Bay Rivers District foe Poquoson as they met the max limit of innings in high school regular season game play.

The visiting Islanders opened up the game with a run in the top of the first, but New Kent’s Tyler Warren countered with an RBI single in the bottom of the frame. Teammate Grayson Hobson crossed home plate on a passed ball to provide the Trojans a 2-1 lead.

Poquoson tied the game in the top of the third, but New Kent looked to take control of the game in the bottom half of the inning. Brayden Heath’s sacrifice fly returned the advantage to New Kent (3-2). And with the bases loaded, Warren’s double drove home two more runs for the hosts. Add another RBI thanks to Ashton Whitlow’s speed to beat a throw to first provided the hosts what should have been a comfortable 6-2 lead.

However, a switch at pitcher in the top of the fifth as Brooks Parker replaced Thomas Wilson on the mound for the hosts didn’t do them in favors. After two batters had reached base against Wilson, Poquoson teed off against Parker, driving in those two runs plus another two runs to tie the game at six all.

New Kent recaptured the lead in the bottom of the fifth (7-6) with a sacrifice groundout by Hobson. The Trojans turned to Lane Boyette to close out the game. But with the bases loaded, Boyette committed a hit-by-pitch, allowing Poquoson to push a run across the plate and tie the game. However, Boyette would strike out the next batter and escape the inning.

The game remained steadfast, with New Kent’s best threat to win the game coming in the bottom of the ninth inning. With two outs, Hobson put the ball in play as Warren crossed home plate. However, the umpire ruled that Hobson’s sprint to first did not beat a throw, resulting in the third out. Both teams failed to score in the tenth, resulting in the game being called.

After the game, New Kent Head Coach Trevor Ronan spoke about surrendering a big lead.

“We walked too many batters in the fifth inning,” he said. “I thought [Hobson] was safe on that last play, but both umpires called it the same way.”

New Kent’s record now stands at 14-4-1.