Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Tripp Barfield and Cooper Anderson led off with consecutive singles to shallow right field. Chris Sulc stepped up and drilled a line drive to third base, which was apparently nabbed out of the air.

Then the Rose third baseman dropped it. Barfield and Anderson had tagged up, leaving them sitting ducks for a double play. Tyler Harrell followed up with a single through the right side. If not for the unfortunate play, the Pam Pack likely would have plated a run or two, but went on to lost its home opener to the Rampants, 5-0.

“Obviously, the play of the game was (Robby) Wacker’s play at third base,” Rose coach Ronald Vincent said. “If that line drive gets through, it’s a tight game, but we get the double play. That was a big play. I’m very impressed with Washington. Washington’s got nice pitchers. They’re up there slinging it, too.”

Washington coach Kevin Leggett added, “They’re just a hitting team. They’ve got four guys, I think, going at least Division I. We held in there. The last few innings, we let it get away a little bit. … That’s a big inning. It would have been bases loaded with no outs, and we were starting to hit the ball. … It’s a game of inches.”

Rose had the bats going early. Tyshawn Barrett batted in Gregory Hardison to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the opening frame. Meanwhile, Rampant pitcher Hunter Christopher retired the first six Pam Pack batters he faced, picking up a pair of strikeouts along the way.

After some shaky defense behind Barfield in the first inning, Washington recovered nicely to retire the Rampants in order in the top of the second.

Hardison gave Rose another jolt in the top of the third. He and Coleman Sawyer led off with back-to-back singles. Hardison came in thanks to another base knock by Barrett, and Sawyer scored on a passed ball.

Despite conceding four hits in that fifth inning, Christopher rolled through his five frames without giving up a run. Drew Steele took the mound in the sixth and completed the shutout.

Hardison scored his third run of the game on Sawyer’s seventh-inning triple to centerfield. Sawyer scored the fifth and final run for the Rampants.

Barfield toed the rubber for the first three innings. Sulc took over from there and finished up the game. Both showed glimpses of brilliance, which is a promising sign for the Pam Pack pitching staff.

“Pitching was good,” Leggett said. “Tripp came in and had a little bit of trouble with his breaking ball. Other than that, he threw well. Then Chris came in and was throwing his breaking ball well. In the first couple of innings, they had trouble with him. It’s the beginning of the year and first game out. We’re going to get better.”

Washington will wrap up the week with games against South Lenoir and Riverside. The Pam Pack will get another shot at Rose next Wednesday.