A true team effort has allowed Washington to advance to the third round of the NCHSAA 3-A state playoffs and it will take more of the same in order for the Pam Pack to see a fourth round.
Washington (19-4), the No. 2 seed from the Coastal Conference, has hit its peak at the right time as its lineup features a host of contributors that has padded the scoreboard for pitchers Rebekah Langston and Haley Hutchins.
The key for the Pam Pack tonight when it faces West Brunswick (16-6), a No. 1 seed from the Waccamaw Conference, is that its hot bats don’t cool off during the four-plus hour trip to Shallotte.
Washington powered its way past Cleveland in the first round as it racked up nine runs on 10 hits despite the fact that No. 3 hitter Justyce McKissick and cleanup hitter Adriana Tyson went a combined 0-6.
In round two, the Pam Pack once again exploded for nine runs as it tallied six hits and drew nine walks to knockoff defending state champs C.B. Aycock 9-1 on the road.
Each round Washington has drawn strength from a lineup that can beat teams anywhere in the order, which is encouraging for Pam Pack coach Doug Whitehead.
“We’re not relying on any one hitter or spot in the lineup,” Whitehead said. “We’re getting hits from top to bottom. Everybody’s contributing.”
While the Pack has slugged its way to Round 3, the Trojans have taken the opposite approach and have benefited from a defense that has not allowed a run yet this postseason. West Brunswick scraped past No. 3 Triton 2-0 in the first round, before edging by a 19-1 Nash Central team by the score of 1-0.
West Brunswick is a bit of an unfamiliar foe for the Pam Pack, but the team will have to come up with a sturdy effort on defense and make in-game adjustments at the plate to advance.
“We have to continue to play good defense. That’s the key to winning most ball games,” Whitehead said. “Our hits are going to come. We did an excellent job of sacrificing (against C.B. Aycock) and we made them play the ball. That’s what we’re going to have to do again and continue to get some timely hitting from top to bottom.”