New Kent rallies from three runs down to defeat Lafayette 11-7

New Kent’s Dylan Bowman (left) is greeted by teammates Andrew Staskiel (2) and Tucker Powell (8) after his crucial fifth inning homerun to give the Trojans the lead.

Robb Johnson photo

New Kent High School’s baseball team has been a steady force in the Bay Rivers District over the past few years. In Monday afternoon’s home game against the visiting Lafayette Rams, they learned quickly that things wouldn’t come as easily as they had in previous years.

New Kent rallied from three runs down in the fifth inning to topple Lafayette 11-7 in the contest, improving their record to 2-0.

The game favored New Kent early on as Dylan Bowman and Jaxon Foreman’s hits drove in the first two runs for the Trojans. But in the top of the third, New Kent’s errors began. Trojans’ pitching placed Lafayette baserunners in scoring position thanks to walks. Followed by mental errors leading to physical miscues, Lafayette pushed four runs across the plate to double-up on New Kent (4-2). In the top of the fifth, a passed ball allowed Lafayette’s Quinn Walton to slide headfirst into home plate to give the visitors a bigger advantage (5-2).

The Trojans began to calm down in the bottom of the fifth. Andrew Staskiel stole home base to add to New Kent’s scoring column. A Keegan Branch base hit drove in Brody Cash as Lafayette’s lead shrank to a mere run (5-4). After an Austin Uzzle pop fly out, the Rams walked Lane Boyette. Bowman stepped to the plate for the Trojans, crushing a home run over the right field fence to return the lead to the home team (7-5). The Trojans’ onslaught continued, as they added four more runs in the frame.

Lafayette added a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning, but New Kent closed out the contest to remain unblemished on the season.

After the contest, New Kent Head Coach Trevor Ronan spoke about the team’s errors and what he is focusing on to improve it.

“I did not like the walks we gave up,” he said, pointing to the four walks that led directly to the four runs by the Rams. “We have all the talent in the world and we have to put it all together.

“We have to do a better job coaching and going harder in practice,” Ronan continued. “The homerun by Bowman changed momentum in this game, and it helped take us home.”