Bizarre 8th inning bounces NK out of BRD tournament

New Kent catcher Kristin Colegrove blocks the plate and easily tags out Warhill’s Cara Costanzo in the eighth inning.

Alan Chamberlain photo

Heartbreaking losses in extra innings at home are in danger of becoming a habit for New Kent’s Lady Trojans. They dropped a 1-0 decision in nine innings to Smithfield in their final regular season home game on May 10. Monday, another 1-0 loss, this time in eight innings to the seventh-seeded Warhill Lions, knocked the second-seeded Lady Trojans out of the Bay Rivers District softball tournament.

Monday’s contest ranked nothing short of bizarre. It isn’t often that a pitcher tosses a no-hitter and still loses the game, but that’s the fate that befell New Kent’s Marisa Bush. Then came the decisive eighth inning that never lacked for drama.

A pair of Warhill pinch hitters accomplished what the starting lineup could not do in seven frames — score. Haley Smith drew a leadoff walk before scoring on the game’s only error. Cara Costanzo bunted in front of the plate. Third baseman Madison Beasley fielded and threw to first baseman Kristen Saunders, but Saunders short-armed the catch. The ball sailed along the fence in foul ground. By the time right fielder Dani Foster ran down the ball and fired back to the infield, Smith had easily scored from first.

Matters only got stranger as New Kent came to bat, seeking to tie or win in the bottom of the eighth. Karley Allen lined a leadoff single to right. Foster followed with a short bunt along the first base line that stayed fair. Allen broke for third, drawing an errant throw before scrambling home for the apparent tying run.

But the play generated an umpire conference. The result — Foster was ruled out for interference on the base path, forcing Allen to return to first and thus negating the run.

And more mayhem ensued. Alura Evans followed with a bunt bobbled by third baseman Bri Haislip. Allen rounded second and bolted for third as no defender covered the base. Evans raced to second on the play to place the tying and winning runs in scoring position with only one away.

With Allen breaking for the plate on the pitch, Kristin Colegrove laid down another bunt. Allen put on the brakes and retreated as Warhill catcher Bridget Henzel picked up the ball and gave chase. Allen dove back to third as Henzel made a diving tag attempt. Again the umpires conferred, ruling Allen safe.

Now the bases were loaded with still just one out, but Warhill pitcher Colby Norris got both Brittany LaPrade and Saunders to pop up to Henzel in foul ground to end the game.

“I wish we had won that game,” said a disappointed Nicole O’Bier, the Lady Trojan coach, after her team fell to 14-5. “But the longer you go without anyone scoring, it puts put a lot of stress and strain on you.”