AHOSKIE – Washington High School got two runs in the first inning and it held up.

The Pam Pack baseball team held off a Hertford County High School rally to win 2-1 in the opening round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A playoffs.

Washington scored the two runs in the opening frame. The first run scored when Jake Duke doubled to center and scored on a passed ball. Christopher Everette then drew a walk and came around to score on a Gator Moore single, giving the Pam Pack a 2-0 lead.

The Bears didn’t get on the board until the fifth frame when Brandon Warren singled to left and went to second on a Tyler Pryor groundout.

Warren scored on a Monterio Hunter RBI-single to right. Hunter then stole second, but the inning ended on a fly out.

The Bears left runners in scoring position in the third, sixth and seventh frames. In the third, Pryor singled to center and Hunter reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second. Hunter went to third on a Grayson Toms sacrifice fly, but a groundout ended the inning.

In the sixth, Travis Ellis had an infield single and stole second, but a groundout ended the inning. In the seventh, Mitchell Godwin reached on an error. Pinch runner Amard Nichols stole second, but a strikeout ended the game.

Warren pitched seven innings, allowing just two runs on four hits and striking out 10. He finished the year 7-3 for HCHS.

The Bears had six hits – one each by Ellis, Warren, Pryor, Hunter, Richard Burns and Edward Joyner.

“We came out tight, nervous and jittery and gave them two runs on the board,” HCHS Head Coach Chris Towell said. “We had some good at-bats, but the hit the ball right at people.

“Brandon pitched a great game for us,” he added. “He kept us in the game. We just couldn’t score any runs for him. We had a great season. We wish we could have gone further.”

Hertford County finished 14-9.