Add Arundel sophomore Kara Kitchen's name to the list of phenomenal young pitchers in Anne Arundel County.

Kitchen threw her second consecutive shutout yesterday, allowing just four hits in a 3-0 victory over No. 13 North County in Gambrills.

She was coming off a no-hit, 1-0 win over Broadneck on Friday, and has lowered her earned run average to 1.66.

"I think the game she pitched today was better than the no-hitter on Friday," said coach Paul Yannuzzi. "She was in command, and she pitched as hard at the end of the game as she did at the beginning. She pitched a really smart game. When she needed to pitch the ball on the inside corner, it was there. Her location was really good."

Kitchen was bothered by a hip injury and didn't throw much during the winter. "It's taken this long for her to build up her strength," Yannuzzi said.

No. 12 Arundel took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Ruth Wilson led off with a single to right, Christine Plumb walked and Shannon Noon singled to center.

Plumb was thrown out at third as Wilson scored. Heidi Motzer was hit by a pitch from Jamie Yewell with two outs, putting runners on first and second, but Christy Gardner grounded into a force.

That was all the scoring until the sixth. Gardner was hit by a pitch and moved to third on an errant pickoff throw from catcher T. C. Horney. Jenn Skolochenko grounded to second, bringing home Gardner. Kristen Daffin (2-for-3) blooped a single to right and Marcia Lavin doubled to right-center for a 3-0 lead.

Kitchen (6-3) retired the last eight Knights. She allowed just six balls out of the infield and struck out three.