By Tray Mason
Correspondent

The King’s Fork High School varsity boys’ baseball team’s on-field struggles continued Friday in a 6-2 loss to visiting Oscar Smith.

One of the Bulldogs’ biggest issues this season has been their slow starts on offense, and allowing early runs from their opponents.

Friday was no different, as they gave up four hits in the first inning, including a double that put the Tigers up 2-0.

The Bulldogs had the opportunity to respond in the bottom half of the first and evade the slow start that has plagued them all season, but instead they stranded a runner on third base.

KF pitcher Cedric Henry avoided further damage in the second inning, working his way out of a jam in which he put two Tigers runners on with no outs.

It wouldn’t take Oscar Smith much longer to put more numbers on the scoreboard, though. The Tigers capitalized on a Bulldogs fielding error after they recorded an out at first base, and two runners crossed home plate to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead in the third inning.

KF made an attempt at a comeback in the sixth inning.

A deep double from Danny Gromcowski scored two Bulldogs runners and cut the Oscar Smith lead, 5-2.

The Tigers tacked on one more run in the seventh inning, and the deficit was too much for KF to overcome.

“We’ve got to come out ready each and every day,” King’s Fork head coach Pat Stafford said. “We were slow getting out of the gate, and that hurt us. We kind of built it up the last few innings, but by that time it was too late.”

The Bulldogs travel to Great Bridge High School on Monday. Following that they play at home versus rival Nansemond River Thursday, then again Friday versus Indian River.