By By Adam Robinson – sports editor
The W.S. Neal Eagle baseball team swept a doubleheader area game from Hillcrest Friday night at home. The Eagles beat the Jaguars 10-0 and 11-1.
William Shell, Tyler Cross and Wesley Booker all combined to pitch one hitters in separate games. Tyler Nall was 2-for-3 in game one with a RBI and Jake Cannon added a two-run homerun in game two for the Eagles.
With the wins, W.S. Neal improved to 11-9 and to 4-1 in area play.
In game one, it took two innings for the Eagles to score a run and until the third inning to get the bats going. But when the hit parade began, it began seeing the Eagles score nine runs in the last three innings of play on 11 hits.
William Shell was one pitch away from a perfect game. He allowed no runs on one hit and struck out seven in the win.
The Eagles got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning when Reid Johnson reached on a walk and advanced to second and third on a passed ball and error.
Aaron Nelson's fielder's choice scored Johnson for the first run of the night.
In the third inning, Jake Hodge got things rolling with a lead off double and then advanced to third on a single by Tyler Cross. Cross would advance to second on a stolen base.
With runners on second and third and no outs, Shell laced a double to score Hodge and Cross to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead.
Tyler Nall's single scored Shell to give the Eagles a 4-0 lead when Johnson singled in Nall for the 5-0 lead.
In the fourth inning of play, the Eagles added three runs on three hits and a Jaguar error to take a 8-0 lead.
In the fifth inning, Jake Dixon led the inning off with a double and scored on a Aaron Nelson single. Jake Hunsinger singled to score in the game-winning run by 10-run rule. The Eagles won 10-0 in five innings.
Nall was 2-for-3 with one RBI as Hodge was 2-for-2.
Cross, Johnson and Shell were 1-for-3 each with two RBIs. Cannon was 1-for-3 with one RBI.
Nelson was 1-for-3 with one RBI and Hunsinger was 1-for-1 with one RBI.
Game two: W.S. Neal 11, Hillcrest 1
In game two, Tyler Cross and Wesley Booker's one hitter and Cannon's two-run homerun gave the Eagles a sweep over the Jags with a 11-1 in game two.
The Eagles scored four runs in the first inning and four in the third inning and three in the fifth to take the game by 10-run rule.
Cross went three innings and allowed one run (not earned) on one hits and walked one while striking out four.
Booker came in relief in the top of the fourth and went two innings and struck out three while allowing no runs.
In the top of the first, Shell singled with one out when Cannon lifted the ball down left center field to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles added two more runs in the inning to take a 4-0 lead.
The Jaguars added a run in the top of the third inning after a Jaguar single and an Eagle error.
In the bottom of the third inning, Cannon led the inning off with a single and then scored on a fielder's choice by Nelson.
Jake Dixon would later triple in the inning for the Eagles. Jake Hodge singled in a run for the Eagles as they took an 8-0 lead after three innings.
In the fifth inning, Hunsinger singled to lead off the inning for the Eagles and was plated to give the Eagles a 9-0 lead after a Cross double.
Wesley Booker would give the Eagles a 10-1 lead when he singled in Cross and would later score the winning run for the 11-1 win.
Cannon led the Eagles going 2-for-3 with a two run homerun.
Hunsinger was 1-for-1 and Booker was 1-for-1 with a RBI in the win.
W.S. Neal 1, MCHS 2
In a game earlier in the week, W.S. Neal dropped to 9-9 on the season with a 2-1 loss to Monroe County in Monroeville.
Monroeville took an early 2-0 lead after scoring runs in the bottom of the third and fifth innings.
The Eagles broke through on the scoreboard with their only run of the game in the top of the sixth inning.
Wesley Booker took the loss on the mound for the Eagles as he allowed one walk and nine hits and struck out three.
William Shell was 2-for-3 at the plate in the game with a RBI as Tyler Brown was 1-for-3 with a double. Tyler Cross was 1-for-3 with a run as Tyler Nall and Reid Johnson both went 1-for-3 at the plate.