Sacrifice fly ends Lady Trojans’ bid for softball state title
New Kent’s Kendall White (4) slides into second base safely under the tag by Broadway’s Emma Morris (9).Noah Kennedy photo
Sometimes the best stories don’t have the happiest of endings. Such was the case for New Kent’s Lady Trojans in their Friday afternoon contest against the Broadway Lady Gobblers in the Group 3A State semifinals softball contest.
A sacrifice by Emma Morris in the bottom of the seventh inning was deep enough to drive home the game winning run as the Lady Gobblers emerged with a 6-5 victory over New Kent, bringing the Lady Trojans’ season to a close.
In the top of the first, New Kent’s Hannah Tober solo blast over the left field fence to give the Lady Trojans a 1-0 lead. However, Broadway would deny Tober any more clean looks for the rest of the contest, walking her every other time at the plate.
Meanwhile, New Kent had to content with Broadway’s Lilah Deavers. Her connection tied the game at one apiece in the bottom of the opening frame.
In the top of the third inning, Lady Trojan Mariah Leonard at-bat drove home run number two for New Kent. Moments later, Abbie Kegley added another one to take a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the frame though, the Lady Gobblers cut the deficit back down to one after adding one in the bottom of the frame.
In the top of the fourth, Leonard connected once again for New Kent, this time hitting a ball off the wall. A Broadway error on the play allowed two runs to score, giving New Kent a 5-2 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, April Gingerich’s base knock once again cut the Lady Trojans’ advantage down, with Broadway trailing by two (5-3) heading into the fifth.
The Lady Gobblers’ defense kept New Kent off the board in the top of the fifth, allowing Broadway’s offense to come alive once again. With the bases loaded for the Lady Gobbler’s, Deavers’ double into the outfield drove home two runs, tying the game at five all as the frame ended.
New Kent failed to convert a bases loaded opportunity in the top of the sixth, with the Lady Gobblers escaping. In the top of the seventh inning, New Kent failed to scored, providing Broadway a chance to capture the contest.
Broadway placed a runner on base after a single. A steal and subsequent sacrifice hit placed the game-winning run on third for the Lady Gobblers. New Kent elected to intentionally walked the next two batters, loading the bases for Morris with one out. Morris hit the ball into center field, with New Kent making the catch. But a heave to home plate didn’t arrive in time, allowing Broadway to win the contest. The next day, Broadway would defeat Turner Ashby 4-3 to win the state title.
New Kent Lady Trojans’ Head Coach Maria Bates put a bow on the season after the contest.
“It was a great game and a tough loss, but the kids battled,” she commented. “When you’re this close, it stings that we couldn’t get it done.
“But I’m so proud of these girls and this team,” Bates concluded.
New Kent concludes the season with a 21-4 record.