Trojans roll into Bay Rivers baseball championship game

New Kent’s Brandon Ricks delivers to the plate on the way to pitching four shutout innings against Poquoson for the win in Tuesday’s Bay Rivers District baseball tournament semifinal.

Alan Chamberlain photo

Cruising along with a 3-0 lead, New Kent’s Trojans added two more runs in the sixth inning at the expense of Poquoson’s Islanders — insurance runs since Poquoson had just one time at bat remaining in the top of the seventh and final frame. But those last two runs proved to be crucial.

The Islanders scored three times in the seventh and had the tying run at the plate before the Trojans extinguished the comeback. Tuesday’s 5-3 triumph propelled the district regular season co-champions into the Bay Rivers District baseball tournament final. They face Warhill, the other co-champion, today (Thursday) at 7 p.m. at York.

“You better believe those two runs were huge,” said Trojan coach Ronnie Cox, breathing a sigh of relief afterward. “You always want to take as many insurance runs as you can get.”

New Kent appeared to be easing into Thursday’s final after breaking a scoreless tie with a three-run fourth inning. Dylan Walton drew a walk on four pitches to lead off. Dakota Oxendine then lined a single to left to put two aboard. With the hit and run on, Mason Downer executed a perfect bunt to load the bases.

Jake Countiss singled past shortstop to drive in the first two runs. Nick Valentino’s walk again loaded the bases, this time for Steven Carpenter who stroked a fly ball deep enough to center to enable Downer to tag up and score run number three from third.

Trojan starter Brandon Ricks, meanwhile, held the Islanders in check on two hits through four innings.

“Brandon gave us four good, solid innings,” said Cox. “He didn’t have his curve ball tonight so he was throwing the fast ball, but he battled and did fine. Some nights you don’t have it all, so you pitch with what you do have.”

Ricks gave way to Carpenter who didn’t allow a hit in the fifth and sixth. Trojan bats erupted again in the sixth starting with Countiss beating the throw on a grounder into the shortstop hole. Valentino (hit by pitch) got aboard and moved into scoring position behind Countiss on Carpenter’s sacrifice bunt. Kevin Karaffa then delivered both on a single up the middle.

“We did a good job of executing in getting people on base and moving them into scoring position,” Cox said.

But just when it appeared New Kent had the win locked up, Poquoson responded thanks to an error and back-to-back hits to make it a 5-1 contest. Michael Carpenter relieved his brother on the mound, fanning the next batter for the first out, but a two-run single pulled the Islanders within striking distance. Unfazed, Carpenter struck out the next two batters to end the game.

“I told the kids that at this stage, no game is going to be a cake walk,” said Cox, whose team heads into the final with a 16-4 record.