By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
WINTERVILLE — Despite pitching with an injured leg, Charity Watson pitched the 46th shutout of her career, and third straight in the D.H. Conley Easter Softball Tournament.
Watson, who suffered the injury when she was beaned in the leg during a 1-0 loss to J.H. Rose earlier in the day, fanned 18 batters in Washington’s 4-0 win over the Wilson Hunt Warriors on Monday evening at the Sara Law Sports Complex. The senior went 3-0 in the tournament, which included 55 strikeouts, a four-hit shutout, one-hit shutout and no-hitter.
The Lady Pam Pack senior had plenty of offensive support, as Washington (8-3, 4-1 Coastal Conference) cranked out eight hits.
Leadoff batter Kristi Wood smashed a pair of doubles and scored twice for Washington. Kayla Spain and Hayley Stowe also had a pair of hits.
Lilly Ann Arnold had a double, while Brittany Bryant ripped an RBI single for Washington.
Watson, who has 60 wins and 1,080 strikeouts in her career, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third. The Warriors loaded the bases with two singles and walk, but Watson dodged a bullet by getting the final batter looking at the third strike.
Washington went to work offensively in the bottom half. Wood laced a two-out double to start the rally. Wood went to third on an error pickoff attempt, and then raced home an Stowe’s infield single. Stowe was able to race all the way home on a two-base throwing error for a 2-0 lead.
Wood and Stowe combined again in the fifth to make it 3-0. Wood laced a double into deep center, then scored on Stowe’s second hit of the game.
The Lady Pack added an insurance run in the sixth. Spain singled and eventually scooted home on Bryant’s single into right field for a 4-0 advantage.
That was more than enough support for Watson as the Lady Pack went undefeated in the tournament.
The Lady Pack fell 1-0 to the J.H. Rose Rampants earlier Monday despite Watson’s 16th career no-hitter. Watson’s double was the only hit of the game.
The Lady Pack returns to action April 21 at South Central.