By By BRIAN HAINES
Sports Writer
Washington continued to exhibit improved pitching and defense as it won its second straight game via shutout on Tuesday, topping Coastal Conference foe West Craven 6-0.
The Pam Pack (4-8, 3-4) was able to sustain the momentum from its 20-0, five-inning victory over Jacksonville its last time out, and jumped ahead of West Craven early on Tuesday and never looked back.
Pam Pack pitcher Brandi Hardison scattered seven hits over seven shutout innings to get the win, while striking out four batters and walking none.
“Brandi did a nice job for us tonight,” Washington coach Doug Whitehead said. “She kept the hitters off balance. She had been getting behind batters, but we challenged her a week ago to start getting ahead of hitters and tonight she did that.”
Washington gave Hardison an early cushion when it rallied for three runs in the first inning.
With one out, Hayley Stowe reached base on an error then stole second, which allowed her to score on a Morgan Bryant single.
Bryant advanced to second on a past ball, then was driven home when cleanup hitter Justice McKissick knocked an RBI single to put the Pack up 2-0.
McKissick, who would move on to second base on a West Craven error and then advance to third on a fielder’s choice, crossed home plate after a Holly Harrison wild pitch to take a 3-0 advantage.
“We took advantage of some early errors by them, which allowed us to put some runs on the board,” Whitehead said. “We also got some big hits from a couple of girls.
“Anytime you can get a lead for any pitcher I think it gives them some confidence. They can experiment more with their pitches and go to different spots.”
The Pam Pack produced eight hits, with no one player having more than one hit in the lineup. Stowe scored two runs, while Bryant, Sydney Gurkin and Casey Lewis each drove in a run. McKissick paced the Pack with two RBIs.
Harrison was the losing pitcher, and despite a strong fastball, allowed six runs in seven innings.
After going scoreless in the second, Washington picked up a run in the third after Stowe doubled, stole third, then was brought home on a McKissick sac fly to right field.
The Pam Pack added two insurance runs in the sixth when Caroline Smith doubled then scored on a Gurkin single. Later that inning Katelyn Singleton would reach base on a fielder’s choice, then reach home on a Casey Lewis RBI triple.
The Eagles threatened in the fifth when Mariah Harris led off with a triple, but could never get a run to cross home plate. Hardison struck out the next batter, then allowed a single, but got out of the inning with a fielder’s choice grounder and another strikeout.
The Pam Pack will be back in action on Friday whe it hosts Havelock.
West Craven 000 000 0 — 0 7 3
Washington 301 002 X — 6 8 2
WP: Brandi Hardison; LP: Holly Harrison
Hitting: WC — Megan Heath 2-4, Holly Harrison 1-3, Marissa Coffman 1-3, Mariah Harris 1-3 (3B), Robin Dall 1-3, Abby Sutton 1-3; W — Kristi Wood 1-4, Hayley Stowe 1-3 (2B, 2 R), Morgan Bryant 1-3 (RBI, R), Justice McKissick 1-3 (RBI, R), Caroline Smith 1-3 (2B, R), Sydney Gurkin 1-3 (RBI), Katelyn Singleton 1-3 (R), Casey Lewis 1-3 (3B, RBI)