W&B Lawncare knocks off Pamlico Boat and Fiberglass, 10-5

WASHINGTON — W&B Lawncare established themselves as the team to beat in the Washington Junior Babe Ruth Conference on a steamy, sun-filled Tuesday afternoon, defeating second-place Pamlico Boat and Fiberglass, 10-5.

Ace Chris Sulc took the hill for W&B and would pitch masterfully down the stretch, commanding his fastball and getting ahead early in counts.

Pamlico jumped out to an early lead, however, after an early infield error on the first pitch of the ballgame allowing Tanner Harrington to reach. Sulc struck out Pamlico’s starting pitcher, Dawson Woolard, but walked Josh Parker on four pitches. Both runners would come around to score after a groundout by Nathan Radar and an awkward balk by Sulc.

W&B pushed across a run in the bottom half of the frame after a four-pitch walk to Sulc and a double to right from Cooper Anderson. Sulc would come around to score on a groundout.

W&B’s starter settled down through the next four frames and gave his team the opportunity to get back in the game. After walks to Latham Potts and Braxton Phelps, Sulc retired the next six batters, two via the strikeout. Through five, the right-hander had allowed just two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out five.

For Pamlico, Woolard lasted just four innings, as W&B began to slowly chip away. After leaving the bases loaded the third, the boys in purple broke the game open in the fourth.

Woolard started things off with a three-pitch strikeout of Tyler Harrell, but the next five batters would reach and eventually come around to score. Eric Main beat out a bobbled ball from the shortstop and Wilson Peed followed with an infield single.

Turner Ragland scorched a double to right, scoring Main, and Jared Willoughby’s single to left plated both Peed and Ragland.

The loudest hit of the inning came from Colten Baker, who blasted a triple off the wall in right-center, scoring Willoughby. Two pitches later, Baker gambled and attempted a steal of home. It paid off, scoring the fifth run of the inning and giving Sulc a comfortable lead to work with.

In the fifth after Woolard was pulled from the game, a handful of walks and a bases clearing triple from Harrell scored another three runs.

Sulc began to lose command in the sixth, as Woolard, Radar, Harrison Schmidt, Ethan Cooper and Braxton Phelps all recorded hits in the inning, Despite the offensive onslaught, Pamlico plated just three runs (one earned) and W&B walked away with a 10-5 victory over Pamlico.

Anderson finished the day 2-for-2 with a walk, while his teammate Harrell recorded four RBI. In six innings of work, Sulc recorded six strikeouts and just two earned runs.

With the win, W&B improves to 7-1, preserving their spot at the top of the table, while Pamlico drops to 1-7.

W&B will face Athletic Edge Friday at 6 p.m. in Washington. Pamlico faces off against D&H Home & Garden in Chocowinity on Saturday.