By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
Emily Pake walked off the softball diamond at Washington High School with a blank look on her face.
She was trying to figure out what happened to her team after a stunning 2-0 loss to the Hunt Warriors in Tuesday’s first round of the NCHSAA Class 3-A state softball playoffs. While the Coastal Conference second-seeded Pam Pack (16-3) saw its season come to a close, the Eastern Carolina Conference fourth-seeded Warriors (13-10) advanced to face West Brunswick in the second round.
Brittany Farmer threw a three-hit shutout for the Warriors. She struck out three and walked three in the complete-game victory.
The Pack had trouble getting base runners on against the Hunt hurler.
Meanwhile, the Warriors were able to scratch across two runs against Washington super sophomore, Charity Watson. The Pam Pack fireballer allowed the two runs on five hits, striking out 13 and walking three in seven innings.
Washington had a golden opportunity early, loading the bases with two outs in the second. Hayley Stowe slapped a single while Kayla Spain and Amber Alligood drew consecutive walks to load the bases, but Farmer got Davey Ann Burbage to ground out to end the threat.
Farmer allowed just one base runner over the next four innings — a walk to Marissa Fucito. However, Fucito was wiped out when she was caught stealing.
Janna Joyner drew a walk to lead off the fourth to set the stage for Hunt’s first run. A bloop single by Farmer put runners at first and second with one out. Candy Capps then delivered a two-out single to right to score Joyner for a 1-0 lead.
The Warriors tacked on another run in the fifth. Casey Strickland, who led off the game with a double, drew a leadoff walk. After taking second on a sacrifice, Strickland went to third on Joyner’s single into left. Spencer Winbourne followed with a single up the middle that scored Strickland for a 2-0 lead.
Fucito led off the bottom of the seventh with a sharp single into left to breathe some hope into the Pack, but Farmer got the next three batters out to end the game.
The game was the final one for seniors Taylor Rogers, Meredith Duke and Johnna Bell.
With the core of players returning to next year’s team, Pake believes the future looks bright.
NCHSAA Class 3-A state playoffs
First Round
Hunt 000 110 0 — 2 5 0
Washington 000 000 0 — 0 3 0
WP: Brittany Farmer; LP: Charity Watson
Hitters: H — Spencer Winbourne 1-3 (RBI), Candy Capps 1-3 (RBI), Casey Strickland 1-3 (2B, run), Janna Joyner 1-2 (run), Brittany Farmer 1-3; W — Marissa Fucito 1-2, Sam Mobley 1-3, Hayley Stowe 1-3.