New Kent dominates Lakeland en route to back-to-back regional championships

New Kent High School's baseball team captured their second consecutive title in convincing fashion with a June 1 victory over Lakeland.

Robb Johnson photo

New Kent’s baseball team knew what they had to do to win a regional championship, as they had captured the title in 2022. In the June 1 contest, they ramped up their play once again.

New Kent’s Trojans dominated the visiting Lakeland Cavaliers 11-1, capturing their second consecutive Group 3A Region A championship on their home field.

New Kent surrendered their only run in the top of the first, as Lakeland’s Cole Harrington executed an RBI double off the pitching of Thomas Wilson.

But Wilson settled down on the mound, opening up ample opportunities for the Trojan offense. The attacks by the home team finally paid dividends in the bottom of the third, with RBI hits from Carson Seely and Lane Boyette giving the host their first lead of the game (2-1). A sacrifice fly by Wilson allowed A.J. Whitlow to score to increase the lead by one.

In the bottom of the fourth, Seely and Boyette duplicated their RBI feats from the third to up New Kent’s lead to 5-1. And New Kent continued, adding four additional runs in the frame. In the bottom of the sixth, two more runs crossed the plate for the Trojans at the hands of Grayson Hobson, triggering the mercy rule and sealing the regional trophy for the home team.

After the contest, New Kent Head Coach Trevor Ronan was pleased with his team’s performance but looked at the greater prize.

“On Tuesday, we have unfinished business,” he commented. “We have something to prove, and we figured things out. It feels good to go back-to-back [with regional championships and state tournament appearances.]”

New Kent is scheduled to host Brentsville District on June 6.