Playing in the Excel Classic Monday in their first games of the 2012 season, the W.S. Neal Eagle baseball team earned a split to start the season with a 1-1 record.
The Eagles defeated Excel 11-4 in their season opener before falling to Leroy 4-0 in their second game of the day.
“In game one we struggled early but I kind of expected that since it is day one of the season,” W.S. Neal Eagle head coach Coy Campbell said. “I thought all our pitchers threw well today. We started slow but ended up scoring some runs on Excel and that showed a little bit about our kids. We then played Leroy and they traditionally have a good ball club. They are fundamentally sound. I thought the game should have ended 2-0 with one swing of the bat. We just didn’t execute today. The guy they had throwing against us today did a real good job against us at the plate. It is early. We will get early. It will be a good learning experience for us.”
After some JV games Tuesday against Northview and Thursday against Jay, the varsity Eagles will resume play in the Excel Classic Friday and Saturday.
W.S. Neal will play Greenville, Friday at 4:30 p.m. in Excel and will return Saturday to play Flomaton at 9:30 a.m. in Excel.
W.S. Neal will end tournament play Saturday at 12:30 p.m. against J.U. Blacksher at Veteran’s Park in Monroeville.

WSN 11, Excel 4
W.S. Neal used a five-run sixth inning to help lead them to a seven-run win over Excel Monday in their season opener.
W.S. Neal led 2-0 after two innings of play before falling to four Excel runs in the third inning to trail 4-2.
From that point, W.S. Neal would hold the Panthers scoreless while plating one in the fifth, five in the sixth and three in the seventh to get the 11-4 win.
Keith Bradley got the start on the mound for the Eagles and took the no decision while Tyler Joyner came in relief to get the win.
Bradley went three innings and allowed six hits, struck out five and hit one. Joyner went the final four innings allowing three walks and struck out three.
At the plate, Christian Purvis had two singles and Reid Johnson had a single and one RBI.
Logan Williamson swung the hot bat going 4-for-4 with four singles and four RBIs.
Bradley added a single and Cam Blackman also had a hot bat as he had a double and a single and three RBIs.

Leroy 4, WSN 0
After plating 11 runs in their first game, the Eagles were held scoreless in game two as they lost to Leroy 4-0.
Leroy got on the board early as they connected for a two-run homerun in the first inning. The Bears would add one run in the fifth and one in the seventh to get the four-run win.
Dylan Godwin was 2-for-3 at the plate and Hunter Mullins was 1-for-3. Jeremy Myers was 1-for-2 in the loss.
Brian Settle took the loss on the mound for the Eagles as he went six innings and allowed five hits, three runs, and hit one batter. Blackman went the final innings allowing one run and two walks.