Trojans fall flat in Conference 25 baseball title game

New Kent's Kevin Karaffa looks to the umpire to see if he is safe at second on a steal attempt. But Poquoson shortstop Chase Pinder displays the ball and Karaffa was ruled out. It was that kind of night for the Trojans.

Alan Chamberlain photo

Soaring high after toppling top-seeded Lafayette, New Kent’s Trojans cruised into Friday night’s Conference 25 baseball tournament championship with momentum appearing to be on their side. Poquoson’s Islanders, however, quickly brought the Trojans back down to Earth.

In a game during which little if anything went the Trojans’ way, the Islanders dominated on the way to a 9-2 victory on York High’s field. The loss sends New Kent (15-8) into a visitors’ role in Monday’s quarterfinals of the Region 3A tourney to take on the top seed from Conference 26. That conference’s title game matching Hopewell and Thomas Jefferson is today (Saturday).

“Baseball’s a funny game,” said Trojan coach Ronnie Cox. “You can beat the number one team in the conference that’s throwing their ace at you, but then come back two days later and can’t get anything going.”

All went downhill in rapid fashion for the Trojans. Trojan starter Tyler Lambert walked the first two batters he faced. He struck out the next hitter, but bounced a pitch of another to load the bases before issuing a third walk to force in the game’s first run.

Cox brought in Steven Carpenter in relief who gave up a single for another run before extinguishing the threat. But the Islanders continued their onslaught adding a run in second inning and two more in the third before piling on four with a five-hit performance in the fourth. By the midpoint of the fourth, Poquoson virtually had a lock on the game with a 9-0 lead.

During the same span, New Kent managed just one hit — Trey Cox’s second inning single — and two walks off Poquoson starter Steven Holloway. The Trojans loaded the bases in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, but garnered just two runs. In the fifth, Cox dropped a single along the right field line to score Carpenter after outfielder Matt Titlow lost the ball in the lights. Holloway then issued a bases loaded walk to Zach Ferrell.

“I thought in the fifth we’d be able to make it respectable,” said coach Cox. “But when that went down, I knew it just wasn’t our night.”

Poquoson, meanwhile, totaled 10 hits along with eight walks off New Kent pitching.

“We gave up 10 hits?” Cox remarked incredulously. “That speaks for itself. You can’t add to it.”