Facing off against No. 2-ranked Bayside Academy Thursday and Friday, with a spot in the playoffs on the line and the W.S. Neal Eagle baseball team needing to sweep the Admirals, the Eagles came up shot to miss out on the playoffs. It is the first time since 2009 the Eagles will miss the playoffs.
In game one Thursday, W.S. Neal defeated Bayside Academy 5-2 in Daphne. Needing another win on Thursday in East Brewton to clinch the area runner-up spot in the playoffs, W.S. Neal lost 11-7 to be eliminated from playoff contention. The losses for W.S. Neal dropped them to 15-7 overall this season and finished them 3-3 in area play.
W.S. Neal made it to the state semifinals last year and had won three straight area titles from 2011 to 2013. W.S. Neal also won the area championship in 2008.
The Eagles of East Brewton were to finish their regular season at home Monday against Saint Paul’s of Mobile. Game time is set for 5 p.m. in East Brewton.

Thursday: WSN 5, BA 2
A four-run fifth inning for W.S. Neal gave the Eagles a 5-2 win over Bayside Academy Thursday.
W.S. Neal led Bayside 1-0 after two innings, but saw Bayside tie the game at 1-all in the bottom of the third inning. In the fifth, W.S. Neal took a 5-1 lead and held Bayside Academy to one run in the seventh to get the win by three.
Tyler Joyner earned the win on the mound as he went seven innings and allowed six hits, two runs, both earned, walked seven and struck out eight.
At the plate, Malcolm Hawthorne had a single while Taylor Elliott had one and two RBIs. Joyner added two RBIs while Mike Williams had a double. Derrick Barton and Jared Cooper both had a single each in the loss.

Friday: BA 11, WSN 7
Bayside Academy struck for seven runs in the first inning and held off W.S. Neal Friday to claim an 11-7 win to claim the area runner-up spot and eliminate the Eagles from playoff contention for the first time since 2009.
Leading W.S. Neal 7-1 after one inning of play, the Admirals built an 8-1 lead after three innings and a 9-1 lead after four. Leading 10-1 after five innings, W.S. Neal made things interesting as they plated five runs in the bottom of the inning to cut Bayside’s lead to 10-6.
Both teams plated one run each in the sixth inning as the Admirals went on to claim the area win by four runs.
Cooper took the loss on the mound for the Eagles as he went 2/3 of an inning and allowed four hits, seven runs, and walked two.
Lane Chavers went 4 1/3 innings and allowed eight hits, four runs, and struck out two. Elliott went the final two innings and allowed one hit and walked two.
At the plate for the Eagles of East Brewton, Joyner led with three doubles and a single and one RBI. Barton finished with a single along with Williams who had one RBI.
Hawthorne finished with one single along with Brandon Carmichael. Cooper added a single and a double and two RBIs.