By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
GREENVILLE — Washington’s rally came up a little short in the seventh-place game of the Hot Stove Tournament.
The Pam Pack rallied from 7-0 and 8-4 deficits against the Carrick (Pa.) Raiders to make things interesting Tuesday afternoon at Guy Smith Stadium. Washington scored three times in the top of the seventh to pull within 8-7. The bases were loaded with one out when Tyler Coward hit a hard grounder to shortstop Roy Duttine.
The Carrick shortstop made a nice stab of the ball, then flipped it to second baseman Ted Fricke for a force out. Fricke then delivered a perfect throw to first baseman Willie Mullen to end the game, giving the Raiders the 8-7 victory.
Trent Whitehead sparked Washington’s first rally, hitting a 340-foot blast over the right field fence in the fifth inning. The senior’s second homer of the season, coming after two walks in his first two at bats, got Washington on the scoreboard.
Carrick was able to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning off Washington starter Dean Smith (five runs, one earned, four hits, three strikeouts, three walks in three innings).
Bobby Kramer reached on an error, one of five Pam Pack miscues, to start the inning. After Duttine walked, Scott Girdwood hit a two-run single for the early lead.
Carrick benefited from two more Pam Pack errors in the second inning to score twice, which included an RBI-single by Duttine, to take a 4-0 advantage.
Washington had nearly as many errors (14) as hits (17) in the three-game tournament.
Mike Wagner’s bases-loaded walk in the third increased Carrick’s lead to 5-0.
Washington reliever Graham Fulcher (three runs, two earned, five hits, five strikeouts) gave up RBI-singles to Fricke and Andrew Gibson in the fourth to give the Raiders a 7-0 advantage.
Whitehead’s homer off Gibson, Carrick’s starting pitcher, in the fifth pulled Washington within 7-2. Coward started the inning with a single into left.
The Pack made it 7-4 in the sixth. Jeffrey Boyd drew a leadoff walk and he scored on Billy Craig’s triple into center. David Tyson’s single into left plated Craig to make it a three-run game.
The Chiefs scored what proved to be the game-winner in the bottom half. Fricke reached on an error, taking third on the play, and he scored on Gibson’s single into left for an 8-4 lead.
Whitehead led off the seventh with his third walk of the game. After Brandon Thomas reached on an error, Lee Watkins hit a grounder. Whitehead was nearly tagged out at third, but he dove safely back into the bag to load up the bases as Watkins reached on a fielder’s choice.
Boyd followed with a two-run double into center. Watkins trotted home when Craig reached on an error, pulling the Pam Pack within 8-7. One out later, Tyson was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Coward then hit into the double play to end the game.
Though his team was swept in three games, Vaughan did take some positives away from the tournament.
Whitehead was 3-for-6 with a home run and a triple in the tournament. He walked six times, scored four runs and drove in a pair.
Watkins went 5-for-11 at the plate with a pair of doubles and two RBIs.
The Pack (3-9, 1-6 Coastal Conference) will play at South Central on Tuesday.
Washington 000 022 3 – 7 6 5
Carrick 221 201 x – 8 9 2
WP: Andrew Gibson; LP: Dean Smith
Hitters: W – Trent Whitehead 1-1 (HR, 2 RBIs, 3 walks), Jeffrey Boyd 1-2 (2B, 2 RBIs), David Tyson 1-2 (RBI), Billy Craig 1-4 (3B, RBI), Zack House 1-4 (2B), Tyler Coward 1-4; C – Andrew Gibson 2-3 (2 RBIs), Roy Duttine 2-3 (RBI), Ted Fricke 2-4 (RBI, 3 runs), Scott Girdwood 1-2 (2 RBIs), Drew Staude 1-1, Willie Mullen 1-2.