Logan Everette throws no-hitter in first varsity start

Published 10:51 pm Friday, March 9, 2018

PINETOWN — Northside and Washington went to battle Friday night with each playing their third game of the week and looking for momentum ahead of Tuesday’s conference openers.

Junior lefty Logan Everette threw a five-inning no hitter, and the Pam Pack bats came to life in a 14-0 demolition of the home-standing Panthers.

“He threw the ball well, threw strikes, and got ahead of guys,” Washington coach Kevin Leggett said. “It was great to see him do that. I’m looking for big things from him this year in conference.”

Everette added: “It feels good. Nothing better than a first outing and a no hitter.”

Everette issued a walk in the first inning — one of only three Northside batters to reach in the game — but locked in shortly thereafter. Of course, it helped that Washington exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the frame.

The Panthers pitching staff walked in four-straight runs before Drew Ferguson blew the game open with a bases-clearing double to right-centerfield. That kind of timely hit was something Washington had been looking for throughout its opening week.

“I just think they’re finally starting to buy in to sitting back on the ball. We’ve been out in front of pitches a lot,” Leggett said. “We’ve been working on it, getting them to sit back and let the ball come to them.

“Usually pitching is ahead (early in the season). We’ve seen good pitching in the first two games. Both teams we’ve played, we’ve seen the No. 1. … It takes some time to get used to it. Pitching is always ahead.”

The Pam Pack batted through the lineup and posted another seven runs in the third. Carson Asby and Trippe Bonner got the ball rolling with consecutive two-out hits. Bonner’s double down the left-field line put both of them in scoring position, and Chris Sulc drew a walk to load the bases.

Frederick Holscher and Ferguson stepped up and combined to bat in three runs, pushing the lead to 10-0. Tyler Harrell had an RBI single, and three more runs came in on an error and a passed ball.

Reg Bishop took the mound to begin the fourth, marking the third Panther to toe the rubber. He shut down the Pam Pack for the final two frames, but Everette continued neutralizing Northside’s batters. He had nine strikeouts in five innings.

Zach Griffin awaits a pitch from Logan Everette.

“It’s the third game in a row, but we’re not blaming it on that,” Northside coach Keith Boyd said. “All these seniors, they should be mentally tough. Baseball is one of those things where, if you’re not finding the strike zone, everybody is on their heels.”

Northside had the weekend to put the loss in the rear-view mirror before traveling to Riverside Tuesday for its 1-A Coastal Plains opener. Washington will look to continue building as it opens 2-A Eastern Carolina play at Greene Central Tuesday.