Close call doesn’t help in Washington softball loss; baseball also falls to SWE

Published 6:39 am Saturday, April 19, 2025

By Jason O. Boyd

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It was a play that didn’t directly influence the outcome of the game. But it didn’t help, either.

A bang-bang play at home plate erased a run for the Washington softball team in the sixth inning and stopped a rally. SouthWest Edgecombe then held on for a 3-1 victory on Thursday.

It was the first Eastern Plains Conference loss for the Pam Pack (14-4, 8-2) since a 7-3 setback at Farmville Central on March 28. The loss also puts the Pack one game behind the Jaguars (12-3, 9-1) in the standings heading into the Easter break. SouthWest is one game back of the Pack at 11-5, 7-3 after splitting the week with a 6-1 Washington win on Tuesday.

“Well, in the game, we knew coming in, their pitcher had changed tremendously from last year,” Washington coach Brad Horton said. “I mean, she’s worked a lot in the offseason, and she looks very good. And we knew it was going to be a pitchers’ duel.

“I told the umpires before the game, I said, ‘This is going seven, it’s going to be close.’ And unfortunately, it didn’t go our way. We had opportunities.”

The play in question happened after Addison Miller dropped a single into center that scored Carly Woolard, who ripped a triple down the third-base line. That cut the Cougars’ lead to 3-1. One out later, Emma Harris hit a ball that went off the glove of SouthWest’s shortstop and into the outfield. That put Washington runners on second and third base.

After a timeout by the Cougars, Washington coach Brad Horton went with Alani Hyatt trying a squeeze bunt. She got the bat on the ball, and Cougars catcher Mackenzie Moore jumped to try and field. In the process, Miller hustled toward home plate and appeared to miss the tag by Moore, who scooped the ball up and did a quick swipe at Ward.

The home plate umpire called Miller out, saying she was tagged. Horton argued the call to no avail, leaving Washington with two outs in the sixth. Honor Edwards popped out to center field for the third out.

“And I’m not going to put it on that play,” Horton said. Because, I mean, we had runners on second and third, couldn’t score. We had runners in scoring position several times, and we couldn’t move them around.

“So, when we faced them Tuesday night, I mean, we struck out 13 times. I told the girls, you can’t strike out that many times. I would beg to say we weren’t far from that tonight (12 strikeouts by SouthWest pitcher Mackenzie Rogers).

Washington’s Brynlee Kennedy drew a two-out walk in the seventh, but the game ended after Addison Miller flew out to deep center. The Pack go into the Easter softball tournament at Northside High School set to face Class 1A state champion East Wilkes and Class 2A power Camden County, which could be a playoff preview.

“But, you know, it was a good game,” Horton said. “I mean, I can’t … I’m not upset with the girls on how the game went. It’s just our game awareness getting there. (1:42) And I told them that in the huddle.

“I said, you have to understand that there’s situations you have to know what to do. And I said, we don’t have game awareness. We’re playing the game, but we’re not aware of what’s going on.”

Emma Orr struck out 14, gave up five hits and two earned runs. One run was scored by SouthWest on a throwing error to first and a dropped pop-up. The Cougars got all three of their runs in the sixth inning on two hits and two errors.

Carly Woolard (2-for-4, run) and Miller (2-for-4, RBI) each had two hits for the Pam Pack.

SWE baseball 9, Washington 1

SouthWest Edgecombe broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth then scored seven more runs for a victory on Thursday.

The Cougars got a run in the fourth, then scored four more in the fifth, one in the sixth and two in the seventh.

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