Missing three regulars from the starting its starting lineup, Washington’s attack lacked punch as it fell 16-5 in six innings to Smithfield-Selma on Monday playing in its first CCSSL game in over a week.
The Pam Pack struggled in all phases of the game against the Spartans as its defense committed five errors and its four pitchers combined to allow 14 hits.That, combined with the fact that Washington was playing without Will Swain, Michael Hollis and Isiah Taylor spelled troubled for the Pack as its record dropped to 4-7.
“Smithfield is probably the best team we have faced so far, they’re a big 4A school and they were playing with 11 seniors “ Washington coach Matt Burnett said. “For us, we were missing three big cogs out of the lineup in Swain, Isiah and Hollis. Playing without those guys makes a difference — and I know the team went out and played hard tonight – but when you play a team like that without three of your regulars in the lineup it can make a difference.”
The CCSSL is designed to help players get better during the summer, and with that comes its ups and downs.
“We are out here to see some different guys in some different situations,” Burnett said. “Unfortunately, in these summer league games there are going to be some nights like this. You got to take the positives and learn from the negatives … It’s summer ball, you can’t always look at the game results.”
The game got off to a rocky start as Washington committed two errors in the first inning as the Spartans added two hits off Pack starter Brandon Cherry to jump out to a 2-0 lead.
After a scoreless second, Smithfield-Selma pounced once again as it rallied for six runs, four off of Cherry and two off of reliever Jody Arnold to go up 8-0 in the third.
The Spartans Nate Driver led the assault by going 2-2 with three RBIs, while also pitching the first 2 2/3 innings of the game to get the win. Smithfield-Selma’s Ben Youngblood also had a big game as he went 3-4 and drove in a run.
Cherry, a 6-foot-1-inch rising sophomore, featured a smooth delivery and a fastball that had some pop as he gave up four hits and six runs in 2 2/3 innings of work.
Arnold had some success with his off-speed pitches but lasted only 1 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and eight runs.
“Brandon has to go out there and work on throwing a secondary pitch. The Lord blessed him with a good fastball but he needs to work on that secondary pitch. That’s what the summer is about,” Burnett said. “Jody was able to get us some ground balls that we should have played and he did a good job for us in a tough spot tonight.”
Christian Lambert followed Arnold and gave up one run in one inning, while Avery Woolard finished up the game recording three outs without letting up a run.
The Pam Pack scored four of its runs in the third as Jordan Moore broke the ice with an RBI single and Austin Mitchell plated two more when he smashed the ball threw the Spartans’ infield. Forrest Hawkins would cap the scoring with a sac fly that allowed Will Phelps to score. Washington would score its only other run in the fifth when Phelps hit an RBI single.
The Pam Pack will be back in action at home on Thursday when it hosts South Central at 7 p.m.

Smithfield-Selma 206 601 — 16 14 2
Washington 004 010 — 5 8 5
WP: Nate Driver; LP: Brandon Cherry
Hitting: SS – Alderious Parker 1-4 (3R), Ben Youngblood 3-4 (RBI), Blake Mitchell 2-4, Tyler
Castleberry 2-3 (RBI), T.J. Brown 1-2 (2 RBI), Nate Driver 2-2 (3 RBI, 2 2B), Adam Dalton 1-3, Josh Harper 1-1, Bennett Johnson 1-4 (RBI), Dylan Homick 1-3; W– Trey Brunson 1-3, Austin Michell 1-3 (2 RBI), Devon Van Cura 1-2 (RBI), Forrest Hawkins 1-3 (RBI), Avery Woolard 1-3, Brandon Cherry 1-2, Jordan Moore 2-2 (RBI).