Coleman Ingram is known mostly as a power threat as the No. 4 hitter in York High’s baseball lineup. His RBI-double to the fence in the bottom of the first inning in Thursday’s game against New Kent was a prime example.
As it turns out, the senior first baseman can be just as effective when the situation calls for small ball, too.
Ingram laid down two sacrifice bunts in the late innings of Thursday’s contest that played key roles in a 6-3 win for York that improved the Falcons’ unbeaten streak to a Bay Rivers District-best 6-0.
While Ingram may have sparked the comeback, to say New Kent didn’t help its own cause would be an understatement. The Trojans committed six total errors Thursday, the worst coming in the bottom of the fifth inning on a routine throw from the catcher back to the pitcher that ended up in centerfield and allowed York’s Josh Smith to trot home easily.
Earlier in that inning, it was Ingram’s first bunt that sparked a four-run frame in which the Falcons took advantage of four New Kent errors to erase a 3-1 deficit and take a 5-3 lead.
After a Dalton Dye (1-3) walk and Trevor Kelly (2-3) single to lead off the inning, Ingram’s well-placed bunt drew an errant throw to first base that allowed both Dye and Kelly score easily to tie the game, 3-3.
Ingram (1-3) would later the score the go-ahead run (4-3) on Brian Willis’ sacrifice fly to right field.
With the Falcons clinging to a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth, Ingram laid down his second bunt in as many innings with two on and no outs and ideally moved both runners up to second and third base.
That set up another Willis RBI – this one a fielder’s choice to the right side of the infield – to give York a 6-3 lead heading into the seventh and final inning.
That was more than enough support for York reliever Jimmy Angell, who came on to throw two and two-thirds of one-hit ball while allowing just one base runner.
“These guys are experienced,” York coach Rusty Ingram said while scanning his dugout. “They don’t panic, and when you don’t panic and focus on executing, good things happen.”
Ingram’s RBI-double in the bottom of the first tied the game after New Kent jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the inning when York starting pitcher Eric Harp walked Nick Valentino with the bases loaded.
Harp got out of bases-loaded jam nicely, though, striking out the Trojans’ very next batter looking.
New Kent took a 2-1 lead in the second after lead-off batter Michael Carpenter sparked a two-out rally with a double, and later scored on Dylan Walton’s base hit to center.
In the top of the fifth, the Trojans built some breathing room after Mason Downer tripled to the gap and later scored on Valentino’s RBI single.
Angell then came on in relief of Harp (4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 SO) and needed just 23 pitches to get the final eight outs of the game, which helped set the table for York’s late-inning rally.
“He did a great job today,” York coach Rusty Ingram said of Angell. “He located his pitches on both sides of the plate and let his defense work behind him.
“And to do it in that few pitches, that’s stellar.”
Ingram said his team’s entire focus is on this weekend’s back-to-back against Woodside of the Peninsula District Friday and Saturday, but he acknowledged that he was pleased to enter Spring Break as the last remaining unbeaten team in the Bay Rivers District.
“I don’t think many people expected us to be in this position,” Ingram said. “We’re comfortable with where we’re at right now and happy with the way we’ve been playing, for the most part, but it’s a long season.”
Below, York senior Dalton Dye talks about the Falcons late rally as well his thoughts on entering spring break 6-0.
York 6 New Kent 3
New Kent- 110;010;0 – 3 8 6
York- 100;041;x – 6 8 1
WP: Angell
LP: Beshai
York (6-0 BRD)- Dye 1-3 (2 runs), Kelly 2-3 (2 runs), Ingram 1-3 (2B, RBI), Brian Willis (2 RBI)
New Kent (3-3 BRD)- Carpenter 1-4 (run), Downer 2-4 (run), Valentino 1-2 (2 RBI)
