By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
The pitching duo of Lilly Ann Arnold and Charity Watson dominated the West Craven hitters on Tuesday as the Pam Pack blanked the Eagles 7-0 at Washington High School in its first Coastal Conference game of the season.
Arnold, a freshman, threw a veteran change up that baffled the Eagles’ hitters for three innings, while Watson came on in the fourth to seal the deal for Washington (3-0, 1-0)
In her three innings of work, Arnold struck out four and walked none, while allowing one hit. Watson fanned six batters in four innings, and keep West Craven (2-5) hitless.
Arnold did a nice job of mixing up her fastball and change up on Tuesday, and after the game Daniel said he was pleased with her performance.
The Pam Pack handed Arnold an early lead when it went up 1-0 in the first. After Kristi Wood struck out, Washington’s Lauren Allen and Marissa Fucito each reached base on walks issued by West Craven pitcher Holly Harrison.
With two on, Watson delivered a line drive down the right field foul line that drove in Allen, and put the Pack up 1-0. Harrison was able to get herself out of a jam by getting out the next two Pam Pack hitters. Harrison finished the game throwing six innings, letting up seven runs and six hits.
After a scoreless second, the Pack tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third. Allen led off the inning reaching base on an error, and was quickly joined on base by Fucito who got to first on an infield hit.
With two runners on, and no outs, Washington looked poised for a big inning. However, Harrison got Watson to line out to first, and Amber Alligood to pop out to third base.
Sensing his team was losing an opportunity to score, Daniel called for a double steal, which successfully put Allen and Fucito in scoring position for Kayla Spain.
The move paid off, as Spain promptly delivered a line drive up the middle that brought home both Allen and Fucito, giving the Pam Pack a 3-0 lead.
Washington added four more runs in the sixth as it took advantage of a tired Harrison, as well as some Eagles’ miscues.
Spain started off the inning by reaching base on a walk, while Burbage followed with an infield single. After another double steal, Spain and Burbage scored when Brittany Moss tapped a grounder to third that was fielded by Melinda Spellers, who over threw first base. The error allowed the Pack to take a 5-0 lead.
Spain would later score from third on a delayed steal, while Wood scored Washington’s final run on a fielder’s choice grounder by Fucito.
The Pam Pack will look to pick up another conference win on Thursday, when it hosts J.H. Rose.
West Craven 000 000 — 0 1 3
Washington 102 004 — 7 6 1
WP: Lilly Ann Arnold; LP: Holly Harrison
Hitters: WC — Tiamber Garris; W — Kristie Wood 1-4 (R), Marissa Fucito 1-3 (RBI, R), Charity Watson 1-4 (RBI), Kayla Spain 1-2 (RB), Davey Ann Burbage 2-2 (R).