By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
YEATESVILLE — Washington coach Travis Rogerson asked his team to be more aggressive and the Pam Pack followed through on his request by using an eight-run first inning to roll past Southside 14-4 in the first round of the Northside Easter Tournament on Friday.
The Pack (4-8) will take on Northside in the championship game today at 7:30 p.m.
Tired of seeing his team get behind in counts or get caught looking at third strikes, Rogerson encouraged the Pam Pack to take a pro-active approach at the plate.
That order was carried out by leadoff hitter Jake Duke, who smoked the first pitch of the ball game for double off of Southside starter Allen Hobbs.
From that point on it was down hill for Hobbs who walked the next four out of five batters. The first eight Washington hitters reached base either by walk or error, which resulted in a 5-0 Pam Pack lead and Hobbs being pulled by before Dave Cutler, the Pack’s No. 9 hitter could come to the plate.
“I wanted the guys to come out and be aggressive early up at the plate and they were,” Rogerson said. “That was key to me, we wanted them to come out and be aggressive early and not let third strikes go by.”
Sophomore hurler Blake Jones came on in relief of Hobbs and allowed a single to Cutler which was misplayed in the outfield and resulted in three runs crossing the plate to give the Pack an 8-0 lead.
From that point on Jones settled down and struck out three straight batters to end the inning. Jones pitched all five innings for the Seahawks, striking out five and walking five.
Duke paced the Pack going 3-3 with a triple and a double and three runs, while Weasel Moore went 1-3 with a two-run double in the third.
Michael Goldberg was the winning pitcher and struck out seven batters while issuing three walks.
The Seahawks tallied seven hits and were led at the plate by Hobbs who went 2-4 with an two-run double and Julin Brown who added two hits.
“We knew we were going to run into a tough Washington team,” Southside’s first-year coach Jeff Carrow said. “We have had our struggles this year, but I do like our resiliency. The guys always have a positive attitude.”
Southside (1-7) will play Mattamuskeet today at 5:30 p.m. in a battle for third place.
Washington 802 40 — 14 7 2
Southside 020 20 — 4 8 5
WP: Michael Goldberg; LP: Allen Hobbs
W — Jake Duke 3-3 (3B, 2B, 3R), Ryan Hardison 1-1, Weasel Moore 1-3 (2B, 2 RBI), Michael Robinson 1-3, Dave Culter 1-4 (3 RBI); S — Allen Hobbs 2-4 (2B, 2 RBI), Julin Brown 2-3, Jody Harding 1-3, Mike Ward 1-2, Sam Jarman 1-2, Terrel Moore 1-2.