Cox walk-off RBI single caps wild finish in New Kent’s 10-9 comeback victory

Trey Cox celebrates after scoring New Kent's eighth run in the sixth inning. In the next frame, he delivered the game-winning run on a walk-off single.

Alan Chamberlain photos

Back in the first inning, New Kent’s Trey Cox committed a base running blunder with the bases loaded, resulting in a double play that took the hosts out of a potential big inning in their quest to overcome a 4-0 Bruton Panther lead. In the end, however, he would make amends.

Coming to bat in a tie game in the bottom of the seventh and final inning with two away and the winning run perched at third, Cox stroked a walk-off RBI single to lift New Kent to a 10-9 victory.

Friday’s triumph ended a three-game losing skid for the Trojans, upping their record to 2-6. In the process, the hosts fought back from a six-run deficit.

“They didn’t let up and just kept playing,” said Trey’s dad, Ronnie Cox, who happens to be the Trojans’ head coach.

“They could have rolled over, but they didn’t,” he said. “We got great hits when we needed them. I’m real proud of them.”

Extending New Kent’s losing streak appeared almost a certainty after Bruton pounced on Trojan starter Mitchell Metheny for four runs on four first inning hits. The hosts scored twice in their half of the frame, but in the third, the Panthers unleashed a five-hit attack, good for another four runs and an 8-2 lead.

Despite the early shelling, Cox voiced high praise for his starter as well as two relief pitchers who combined to hold the Panthers to a single run the rest of the way.

“Mitchell hung in there,” the coach said. “He pitched for four and two-thirds innings and then Cameron [Downer] threw good pitches for an inning and a third. Bryan [Brooks] then came in and shut it down.”

Brooks would get the win, entering with Bruton up 9-8 in the top of the seventh. He gave up a pair of singles with two away before getting an inning-ending ground out.

To get into position to win, meanwhile, the Trojans had an uphill climb that began in the bottom of the third. Doubles from Christian Hamby and Metheny plus singles stroked by Steven Carpenter and Chris Roman accounted for three runs. Then in the fourth, Carpenter and Trey Cox singles helped produce two more runs, pulling the hosts within striking distance at 8-7.

Bruton, however, scored once in the fifth before loading the bases with two away. Downer replaced Metheny on the mound, immediately getting the Panthers’ Tyler Brown to fly out in left to end the frame.

Again the visitors threatened, this time in the sixth by getting runners on second and third with only one out, but the Trojans answered with the defensive gem of the game. Downer got Nate Florence to ground out at first and the throw to catcher Brett Richardson arrived in ample time to erase Kevin Zamdio for an inning-ending double play.

“That play at the plate was huge,” said coach Cox. “That stopped them from adding more runs and maybe putting the game away.”

Next up in the sixth, the game’s controversial play that had New Kent coaches, players, and fans up in arms. After Roman and Trey Cox drew walks, Hamby launched a towering drive to the fence just beyond the reach of centerfielder Tredell Blow. Cox, running from first, nearly overtook Roman on the base path between second and third. Both were waved to the plate and appeared to score just two strides apart, Roman standing up and Cox on a slide under catcher Kyle Morgan’s tag attempt.

An umpire conference, however, changed matters. Roman was ruled out for not touching the plate. Instead of 9-9, the inning ended with New Kent trailing by one and the Trojan dugout plus fans in an uproar.

No matter. Brennan Gray opened the Trojan seventh, ripping reliever Brayden Floyd’s first pitch into the left field corner for a double. A sacrifice bunt moved Gray to third for Carpenter, who lined a game-tying single down the left field line.

Carpenter then stole second and scampered to third on a passed ball. After Roman drew a walk, Cox’s single completed the comeback win.

“Our pitchers just threw strikes,” coach Cox said. “We didn’t put [Bruton] runners on base; they hit the ball. We just played defense and waited until our opportunities came up.”

New Kent catcher Brett Richardson reaches for the throw before turning to tag out a Bruton runner at the plate and end a Panther scoring threat in the sixth inning.