BELHAVEN — From the opening pitch to the final play of the game the ENC Babe Ruth District 6 8U title game was filled with drama, but in the end Jamvesville was able to pull out thrilling 9-8 victory over Washington on Friday to clinch the tourney title.
The contest started with controversy as an erratic pitching machine created mayhem and two outs for Washington’s first two batters in the top of the inning.
After a series of inconstant throws officials had to go to the bullpen, and after replacing the machine, the Washington All-Stars were able to tack on three runs but where left wondering if they could have gotten more, which is a fair point to consider in a one-run game.
Washington, which fell to Jamesville by one run earlier in the week and needed to top Jamesville in consecutive games to win the tourney title, found itself trailing 8-6 going into the top of the sixth but dug deep and rallied for two runs and tied the game on a Laci Campbell base hit.
However, Jamesville (4-0) found some late-game magic as well, as a Lauren Asby single to lead off the bottom of the sixth set the stage for Kendall Furlough to belt the game-winning hit.
“I thought about bunting (Furlough) but then I changed my mind at the end. I said you got to hit and she ended up hitting the ball and being the Most Valuable Player,” Jamesville coach Gina Bowen said. “I’m very proud of our girls. The is the first (year) we ever beat Washington as long as I can remember.”
Washington finished the tourney with a 2-2 record and will also advance to next Friday’s state tournament in Washington thanks to its second-place finish. However, the state invite did little to take the sting away from the loss.
“That start was bad with the machine. That was basically an inning taken away from us right there,” said Washington coach Scott Campbell. “That ordinarily doesn’t happen. They changed the machine during the (inning), which I’ve always been told you can’t do that because it’s not fair for one team to get good pitching and the other team not to.”

Washington    320    012    —    8
Jamesville    320    211    —    9
Hitting: W — Olivia Pazzt 2-3, Laci Campbell 2-3 (HR), Abby Gardner 2-4, Chloe Boyd 2-4, Bryan Miller 2-3, Erin Everette 1-3, Savannah Hale 1-3, Shalee Chrismon 1-2, Emery Watkins 2-3, Ava Mizelle 1-1; J — Kendall Furlough 1-4, Emilee Perry 3-3, Shelby Craddock 1-2, Addison Dotson 1-3, Macy Bowen 2-2, Lacie Gardner 1-3, Lacy Bell 1-3, Lauren Asby 1-2.