Neal takes control with 8-4 win over Satsuma
Published 11:39 pm Thursday, April 7, 2016
The W.S. Neal varsity baseball team handled business in Satsuma Thursday evening, defeating its region rival 8-4 to take control of the series.
The Eagles jumped out first scoring a run in the opening inning.
In the top of the third inning Neal’s Dakota Graves singled to left field, scoring Jacoby Hawthorne who doubled in an earlier at bat.
The Eagles got things going again in the top of the fourth with two lead off singles. A single by Sam Frazier would bring home the two baserunners.
Neal led 6-3 going into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Satsuma looked to get things going. Neal pitcher Jared Cooper fell into a jam walking five batters in the inning.Two of those walks and a pass ball led to three runs for Satsuma.
Lane Chavers came into the game for relief of Cooper in the sixth and finished out the rest. The Eagles scored two more runs in the seventh inning.
Jacobey Hawthorne was 3-for-3 with two doubles and four runs scored for Neal. Derrick Barton was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Frazier was 1-for-3 with three RBIs. Malcolm Hawthorne and Chavers each had two hits.
Cooper picked up the win on the mound, pitching 5 1/3 innings, surrendering four runs on three hits, seven walks and four strikeouts.
Neal will face Satsuma today, April 9, at home in a double-header beginning at 4 p.m. Shall Neal win game one it will take the head to head matchup versus Satsuma. A win for Satsuma in game one will force the tie breaker in game two.
