By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
Washington has come a long way this season, but on Monday the team found out it still has a way to go before it catches up to J.H. Rose.
The Pam Pack put up a good fight against the defending 4-A champions, but eventually fell 4-1 to the Rampants (8-0) at Futrell Field.
Walks haunted Washington (5-3, 2-2) as it gave up 10 base on balls, five during a pivotal third inning in which Rose scored three runs.
Starting pitcher Brandon Thomas lasted 2 1-3 innings and was responsible for all four of the Rampants’ runs.
Hatteras Brooks came out of the pen with the bases loaded and one out in the middle of third and did a nice job getting out of a jam. Brooks let up one unearned run as the inning ended with Rose up 4-0.
After Brooks tossed 1 2-3 innings, Justin Meekins closed out the game without letting up a run, but the damage was already done.
The trio only let up six hits, but it was the 10 walks that doomed the Pack.
Rampants’ pitcher Danny Deters had no trouble finding the strike zone as he surrendered only four hits and one earned run, while striking out eight batters in seven innings.
Deters allowed base runners in only two innings, and after David Tyson’s RBI single that scored Jake Duke in the bottom of the third, the Rose hurler retired the Pack’s final 12 batters in a row.
Duke led Washington from the plate as he went 2-3, Tyson was 1-2.
Cole Heartly had the team’s only other hit as he was 1-3 against Deters.
The Pam Pack will look to bounce back today when it hosts New Bern.
J.H. Rose 013 000 0 — 4 6 0
Washington 001 000 0 — 1 4 2
WP: Danny Deters; LP: Brandon Thomas
Hitting: J.H. — Patrick Roy 2-2 (2B, R), Chase McDonald 1-4 (2B, 2 RBI), Tanner Marria 2-3 (2B, R), Keat Norris 1-3; W — Jake Duke 2-3 (R), David Tyson 1-2 (RBI), Cole Heartly 1-3.