Dylan Godwin led the W.S. Neal Eagles at the plate while Tyler Joyner and Keith Bradley led the Eagles on the mound Monday night in a season opening 11-1 win over the Excel Panthers in five innings.
The Eagles (1-0) pounded out nine hits in the win with Godwin leading the way with a perfect 3-for-3 night and five RBIs. Of Godwin’s three hits, two were homeruns in his first two at-bats of the season. The third was a single in the third inning.
On the mound, Joyner earned the win going four innings and allowing one hit, one unearned run, walked one, hit one and struck out four. Bradley went the final inning and allowed one hit.
“It was a good way to start the season,” W.S. Neal head coach Coy Campbell said. “Tyler did a good job on the hill of throwing first-pitch strikes and getting ahead in the count. We played OK defense. We made some mistakes especially that little bit in the first inning. We swung the bat OK. We did not see great pitching tonight, but for the first game, you don’t know what you are going to get. I am proud of our kids tonight. They played hard.”
Excel got on the board first with their lone run in the top of the first. With two quick outs in the inning, a two-base error, a single and a wild pitch gave Excel a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the first.
From there, the Eagles scored 11 unanswered to get the 10-run mercy rule win.
W.S. Neal led 3-1 after the first inning and 6-1 after two innings following Godwin’s three-run homerun in the second.
W.S. Neal added one run in the third inning, and after being held scoreless in the fourth inning, added the game-ending run off an RBI single by Jared Cooper.
Along with Godwin’s night at the plate, Christian Purvis added a single and Damian Williams had a single and one RBI.
Brian Settle had one single and three RBIs while Cooper had a single and one RBI.
Tyler Joyner and Taylor Elliott had one single each in the win.
The Eagles of East Brewton were set to resume play their Eagle Classic Tuesday night against Clarke County. W.S. Neal’s JV team will be in action Thursday night at home at 4 p.m. against Opp while the varsity will be back in action Saturday at 1 p.m. against Monroe County.