Warhill uses 11-run third inning to trounce New Kent 18-2

New Kent's Hunter Pitts tries to score on a wild pitch but cannot avoid the tag by Warhill catcher Trey Drummond as pitcher Lucas Rice observes. Had Pitts been safe, the run would have put New Kent up 3-1 in the second inning.

Alan Chamberlain photo

On a Saturday afternoon made for baseball — temperature in the upper 70’s with a gentle breeze blowing under clear blue skies — New Kent’s Trojans owned a 2-1 lead heading into the third inning against Warhill’s invading Lions.

The hosts appeared up to the task of winning their second in row after rallying from a six-run deficit less than 24 hours earlier to top Bruton 10-9. Unfortunately, disaster struck.

Warhill erupted for 11 third inning runs to forge ahead 12-2. And today there would be no comeback as the Lions roared to an 18-2 triumph.

“We were up 2-1 and playing pretty well,” said Trojan coach Ronnie Cox. “I thought we had a little momentum going from last night, but then the bottom fell out.

“It was just one of those things,” the coach said. “I know that sounds like a cop-out, but it’s the nature of the game.”

New Kent starting pitcher Bryan Brooks surrendered a first inning solo homer to Warhill’s Pat Daly, but the Trojan offense evened matters in the bottom of the frame. Steven Carpenter doubled to the gap in right-center, scoring later on Trey Cox’s ground out.

In the second, the hosts moved in front. Carpenter singled to right-center, driving in Brennan Gray (walk).

Other than Daly’s homer, Brooks had been touched for just one hit through two innings. But he bounced pitches off two consecutive batters to start the third, and things rapidly deteriorated from there.

An infield single scored the tying run before Daly doubled to the corner in right to put the Lions in front to stay. As the inning wore on, seven more runs crossed the plate as the Trojans reached deep into their pitching staff. Then Daly, up for the second time, belted a two-run shot over the right field fence to up the count to 12-2.

“The Daly kid got into us good,” coach Cox said, adding in hindsight he should have issued an intentional pass. “[Warhill] played well. Their pitchers threw strikes, and we had trouble finding the plate.”

The Lions pounded a dozen hits in the five-inning affair. They also capitalized on seven walks and five hit batsmen.

New Kent, meanwhile, managed just three hits. After the second inning, only two Trojans reached base, one on an error and the other on a walk.

“Playing three games in a row [the Trojans lost at Lafayette on Thursday] is tough to do,” said Cox, whose team fell to 2-7. “But there’s always another game and we’ll get’em another day.”