Charles City brings 27-game baseball skid to an end, beats King & Queen 8-7

Charles City's Noah Bright commands the mound in his pitching debut.

Robb Johnson photo

Charles City’s Panthers are fielding one of their biggest baseball rosters in years as 18 players are up to the task for restoring the program’s success. While most of those players are first-year varsity athletes, snapping a 27-game losing skid on Apr. 15 is a step in the right direction.

Charles City edged the visiting King & Queen Tigers 8-7 in the Tidewater District opening contest for both teams.

After King & Queen opened up the top of the first with two runs, Charles City used their aggressive base-running in the bottom half of the frame to become a threat. Gavin Stewart’s base hit and subsequent three steals put the Panthers first run on the board. After another Panther reach based, Brandon Foster’s single tied the game at two. Jackson Koch’s single drove home Foster to provide the hosts a 3-2 lead by the end of the first inning. Stewart scored again in the second inning to increase the Panthers lead (4-2).

But the Tigers were not going to settle as they cut the lead down to one in the top of the third. But Stewart struck again for the hosts, this time for a single that drove home two to double up the Panthers lead (6-3). Charles City added one more run as they headed into the fourth.

However, the comeback for the Tigers began as they were able to tie thanks to Panther miscues. King & Queen pushed four runs across the plate to tie the game at seven apiece as the game headed into the bottom of the fourth.

But errant Tiger pitching would be their downfall. Charles City’s Damian Zuidema scored from third on a base hit, giving the hosts an 8-7 advantage. In the top of the fifth, Damian Barnes Jr. took the mound, retiring the side with strikeouts and ending the game that was called due to darkness.

After the contest, first year Charles City Head Coach Ryan Gardner spoke about the enduring season and the bumps and bruises his team has had to that point.

“These guys have had a rough run and 90 percent of our team is brand new,’ he commented. “We have kids who have never swung a bat and we have kids who have never pitched.

“I will continue to feel good as long as we develop as a team,” Gardner added. “We continue to feel proud of this county, and we are building a legacy and raising men; wins are secondary.”

Charles City improves to 1-5 on the year.