By By AARON CARPENTER, Staff Correspondent
GREENVILLE — The Washington Pam Pack baseball team rallied in the sixth inning with four runs Monday night, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the seven-run lead starting pitcher David Tyson spotted the Eastern Wayne Warriors over the first four innings. The Warriors won their second game in the Jimmie R. Grimsley Hot Stove Baseball Tournament, beating the Pack 7-4.
Regardless, the Pack is improving in every area. The defensive woes Washington (0-9, 0-5) has been experiencing all season were mostly absent against the Warriors (7-5, 3-1). The Pack was also able to put together an excellent inning in the sixth, and so far this season, runs have been hard to come by for Washington.
Washington was blanked over the first five innings by Eastern Wayne starter Anthony Otellio. When Washington did get runners on base in the third and fourth innings, Otellio used an excellent pick-off move to get one runner in the third and two in the fourth.
Washington looked like they might be able to take an early lead in the first inning, but Tyson grounded into a double play with two runners on to end the Pack threat.
In the bottom of the first, Eastern Wayne center fielder Nolan Lancaster doubled off the wall in left center to drive in shortstop Walker Gourley, who reached base with an infield single. Then third baseman John Wooten hit a ground ball that bounced high over the head of shortstop Austin Thompson to bring Lancaster around to score. Wooten then scored on a wild pitch from Tyson.
The next batter for Eastern Wayne, second baseman Jose Ponce, reached base on an error by second baseman Christopher Everette, but was gunned down trying to steal second by an excellent throw from catcher Justin Meekins. Tyson settled down and got the next two batters out on a ground ball followed by a strikeout.
Otellio only needed eight pitches to retire the Washington side in the second, getting Weasel Moore to pop up to second and a couple of ground outs.
Tyson was looking good on the mound in the bottom of the second, getting the first batter to ground out to third baseman Jake Duke. An error allowed the next batter to reach, but Tyson struck out
the Warriors’ right fielder Colton Fulghum to make it two down in the frame. Gourley came to the plate next, and after watching two balls go by, cranked the next pitch from Tyson over the fence to make the score 5-0. While attempting to round the bases, Gourley tripped near first and injured his leg. He got up and completed his trip, but in his next at bat in the fourth, Gourley came out of the game after seeing four pitches. The status of the injury is unknown.
The Pack was able to get two runners on base in the fourth, but as noted earlier, both were picked off first by Otellio.
In the bottom of the fourth, after Tyson retired the first two batters, a single to left from Fulghum and a walk given to Stephen Hall, substituting for Gourley, proved costly as the next two batters both hit safely and drove in a run apiece to extend the lead to 7-0.
In the top of the sixth, Otellio started to struggle. Duke led off with a bunt single before Everette walked. Thompson smacked the second pitch he saw for a double that rolled all the way to the fence and drove in Duke. Otellio walked the next batter and allowed another run to score on a wild pitch and Eastern Wayne coach Fulghum had seen enough. Michael Mintz was called in to relieve Otellio.
Mintz struck out the first batter he faced and walked the second to load the bases. Washington’s first baseman reached on a fielder’s choice to drive in another run for the Pack before a single from Hatteras Brooks that made its way through the infield brought Tyson around to score. That trimmed the Warriors’ lead to three, 7-4.
Gator Moore came on in the sixth and prevented Eastern Wayne from scoring any more runs, but Mintz retired the Washington side in order in the top of the seventh to preserve the win.
“We’re trying to improve on a daily basis, and I think we’re doing so,” said Vaughan. “We’ll see Rose tomorrow, but it’s a matter of us going out and trying to execute as opposed to what team we’re playing.”
Washington will take on J.H. Rose in the final game of the tournament Tuesday at 6 p.m. Eastern Wayne will play Wake County Homeschool at 3 p.m.
WASHINGTON - 000 004 0 - 4
EASTERN WAYNE - 320 200 X - 7
Winning pitcher: Anthony Otellio; Losing Pitcher: David Tyson
Leading hitters: W - Jake Duke 2-4 (R), Austin Thompson 1-2 (RBI, R),
Hatteras Brooks 1-3 (RBI), Josh Woolard 1-3; EW - Walker Gourley 2-2
(HR, 2 RBI, 2 R), Cambric Moye 2-4, John Wooten 2-3 (2 RBI, R), Nolan
Lancaster 2-3 (2 RBI, R), Colton Fulghum 2-3 (R)