The W.S. Neal Eagles competed in three games in the Butch Youman’s Memorial Tournament in Opp this past week, finishing 2-1. Neal defeated Straughn 11-4 and Geneva County 16-1, before losing to G.W. Long 14-3.

 

Neal 11, Straughn 4

The Eagles jumped out early scoring four runs in the first inning. Jacobey Hawthorne tripled to centerfield to drive in three runs. In the next at bat, Dalton Shell hit into an infielder’s choice to score Hawthorne from third base.

At the top of the fourth Neal led 4-1, but Straughn answered with a big inning scoring four runs. Neal added a run in the bottom of the inning to lead 6-4.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Neal’s Sam Frazier singled to left field to score a run. Neal scored another run by the end of the inning to take a three run lead.

In the sixth inning Neal added three more insurance runs to pull away from Straughn.

Jacobey Hawthorne was 3-for-3 at the plate with a double, triple and three RBIs for Neal. Dakota Graves was 2-for-2 with a double. Frazier, Shell and Jared Cooper each had two RBIs.

Lane Chavers went the distance on the mound for Neal and picked up the win, allowing four runs, on six hits with four strikeouts.

Geneva County 1, Neal 16

Center fielder Malcolm Hawthorne put on a hitting clinic, in Neal’s dominant victory over Geneva County.

Neal scored four runs in the first inning.

In the second inning, Malcolm Hawthorne brought home three runs after connecting for his second homerun of the season to left field. Neal platted six runs to take a 10-0 lead into the third inning.

With a triple in the first inning, homerun in the second inning and double in the third inning, Malcolm Hawthorne stepped up to the plate in the fourth inning with a shot at the cycle. The feat became a reality when he smacked a single to left field. Neal scored three runs in the fourth and one run in the fifth to seal the win.

Malcolm Hawthorne went 4-for-5 at the plate with a single, double, triple and homerun for the cycle, and six RBIs. Shell had four hits with a double and two RBIs. Jacobey Hawthorne and Derrick Barton each had two hits.

Neal combined for eighteen hits for the game.

Shell picked up the win on the mound allowing no hits in one inning of work.

 

G.W. Long 14, Neal 3

G.W. Long scored three runs in the second inning off a double by Cole Hatcher, fielding error and a single to right field by Zachary Merritt. The Rebels scored two runs in the third inning and three runs in the fourth inning.

At the bottom of the fourth, Neal got on the board scoring two runs.

Besides one run in the fifth inning, it was all G.W. Long, who scored six runs over the final two innings. In the sixth inning the Rebel’s MacKenzie Hicks homered to center field to plate three runs.

Jacoby Hawthorne led Neal at the plate with two hits. Jarod Cooper went 1-for-2 with a double and RBI.

Cooper suffered the loss on the mound, tossing three innings, allowing five runs on four hits, walking seven and striking out two batters.