By By GREG KATSKI, Staff Writer
YEATESVILLE — It took the Washington baseball team six innings to break the championship game of the Northside/PCS Phosphate Easter Tournament wide open, but before the bottom of the sixth was over, Washington was hoisting the championship trophy.
The Pack earned the trophy with a 14-4 win over the Southside Seahawks.
Washington head coach Darin Vaughan commended his guys for playing a tough-nosed game.
The game went into the bottom of the sixth with the Pam Pack holding a slim lead, 5-4. Slick-fielding third baseman Jake Duke got things going for Washington when he was hit by a pitch from Southside relief pitcher Alarie Elks.
Elks came into the game for Southside starting pitcher Jamie Blackard with one out in the bottom of the fifth, and closed out the inning with two strikeouts.
But in the sixth, Elks seemingly lost his composure.
Chris Everette laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Duke over to second. Duke stole third and made it home on a passed ball. After the run scored, Elks walked Austin Thompson and David Tyson, before giving up an RBI double to Gator Moore.
The flood gates opened after pinch runner Mike Goldberg scored on a slow tapper to the mound by Justin Meekins. Elks issued another walk to Weasel Moore, and Duke followed with a two-run single. Batting for the second time in the inning, Everette laced a two-run triple and Thompson smacked an RBI double.
Earlier in the game, the Pam Pack got some sweet fielding from Duke to quell a couple of Southside rallies.
The Seahawks threatened to tie the game in the top of the fifth with Washington up 4-3.
Southside got a leadoff single from Brad Boyd to knock Washington starting pitcher Michael Robinson out of the game.
Pam Pack relief pitcher Hatteras Brooks came in to stop a potential rally and got Blackard to ground into a double-play on one pitch. The slick rally killer was started by Duke, who cleanly fielded Blackard’s hard hit grounder, flipped the ball to second for one and on to first for two.
The Pam Pack (10-5) got some similar heroics from Duke in the top of the sixth.
Similar to Elks, Brooks began to wear in the inning, beaning Southside’s Kevin Sparks to start the frame.
After a Doug Blight strikeout, Ryan McLawhorn singled and Brooks issued another walk to Willie Ruffin.
With the bases juiced, Brooks hit Eric Boyd to walk in a run for Southside. Brooks was relieved by David Tyson, who induced Brad Boyd into a double-play grounder on his first pitch.
Duke fielded the Boyd grounder, whipped the ball to second for one, and on to first for two.
After the game, Southside head coach Red Lewis pointed at the Boyd grounder as the momentum killer for his team.
As it was, the Pam Pack came up to bat in the bottom of the sixth up 5-4, and did the rest themselves.
Vaughan also congratulated the Seahawks (8-6) for a competitive game.