By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
Kristi Wood is a leader. Though just a sophomore, the Lady Pam Pack softball star is Washington’s leadoff batter.
Wood, who is the starting second baseman, enjoys being the first Lady Pack hitter to step into the batter’s box.
After struggling with the bat early in the season, Wood is seeing the ball and crushing it. She’s now hitting around .300 for the season.
The sophomore had a clutch RBI-triple in a recent win over J.H. Rose.
This is Wood’s second season starting for the Pack. Whitehead said she has been making some big improvements.
While she is making strides, Wood isn’t satisfied just yet.
She said her parents, Nathan and Paula Wood, have been a big help.
Also great, according to Wood, is Pack starting pitcher, Charity Watson. With Watson being a strikeout machine, Wood doesn’t get many chances to make plays, but she’s always prepared.
Wood has to be ready with each pitch. Several batters will try to bunt against Watson, meaning Wood must race over from her second base position to cover the bag at first base.
Wood’s speed really pays off when she’s on the bases. In softball, runs are often hard to come by, so each one scored is valuable. Wood has been scoring some big runs for the Lady Pack.
The speedster has even developed a certain trademark slide when it comes to scoring. A couple times this season, Wood has slid across home plate head-first.
The sophomore leader who enjoys art couldn’t draw up the key hits or run much better.