Washington softball off to good start in EPC

Published 11:17 pm Wednesday, March 26, 2025

By Jason O. Boyd

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After a tough non-conference season, the Washington High School softball team may be settling in for a successful Eastern Plains Conference season.

The Pam Pack beat West Craven twice last week, 16-3 and 15-0, to improve to 6-2 overall, 2-0 in the EPC going into Tuesday’s key game with Farmville Central. After tough games against Croatan, Richlands, C.B. Aycock, East Carteret, Pamlico County and D.H. Conley, the Pam Pack are hopeful the lessons learned there will help them in the second half of the season.

“We’ve scored runs in the first inning. We’ve never scored that many,” Washington coach Brad Horton said. “And we haven’t hit the ball that well in the first inning.

“So that was good to see that the girls were able to come out and get the nine runs and get the comfort level and get it to where we get 11 runs. We start getting other players in, changing people out. But no, it was really good to see the girls come out and really fire on all cylinders.

“And we’ve been preaching to them in practice, ‘Look, just start a game. Take it easy. Try not to get too excited about going up there and hitting and swinging at first pitches.’”

Washington senior pitcher Emma Orr struck out eight and walked three without giving up a hit for the win. That came after she threw a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts and a walk against the Eagles earlier in the week.

Washington had five hits in the nine-run first inning. Orr struck out the side in the first and third innings as the Pam Pack continued to tack on runs, leading 11-0 after two innings. Washington plated four more runs in the fourth to end the game.

She just throws the ball,” Washington catcher Carly Woolard said. “I mean, that’s what she does. She’s a good pitcher.”

Orr led Washington with a 4-for-4 game, driving in three runs and scoring another. Emma Harris was 2-for-4 and also drove in three runs while Brynlee Kennedy and Woolard each drove in two runs and scored two others. She did all that while battling an injury that made it tough for her to pitch against Conley before Washington started league play.

“I struggled a little bit at the beginning because I’m coming out of an injury,” Orr said. “I have a stress syndrome in my shins where it feels like they will snap in half, yeah, so bad. So I could barely physically pitch at Conley.

“It was excruciating pain, and I’m just getting out of it. (3:16) Tuesday was OK, but (Thursday) I felt pretty OK. Still kind of trying to get out of it. And I’m a little sick.

“I felt more comfortable this past week pitching. And West Craven, I know over half the girls, I’ve seen them the past four years.”

Woolard said getting off to a good start in conference play is important with Farmville Central always a tough opponent. The Pack also plays at South Central on Wednesday.

“I think this really helped with our confidence and our hitting,” Woolard said. “We were having a little trouble the first game (with West Craven) with our timing, but I think we really got it down. 

“I think everybody really started to get going. The energy’s a lot better. I think after we got done with the non-conference, people started to really get in the groove.”

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