Neal falls short in comeback versus UMS

Published 10:59 am Wednesday, April 13, 2016

UMS-Wright secured the 4A area crown after defeating W.S. Neal 8-5 on Tuesday.

Dalton Shell was 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs for Neal. Dakota Graves was 2-for-4.

Chauncey Callier was 3-for-4 with an RBI for UMS-Wright. Sam Plash and Dalton Goff both had two hits and two RBIs in the game.

Pitcher Jared Cooper suffered the loss on the mound, giving up two runs on four hits and three walks.

UMS-Wright pitcher Garrett Hollinghead picked up the win, allowing four runs on seven hits, with four strikeouts.

The Bulldogs scored a run in each of the first three innings. Neal got on board in the top of the fourth with a single by Sam Frazier.

UMS-Wright responded with three runs on a double by Callier, single by Conner Jednat and sacrifice fly by Goff.

Shell singled to left field at the top of the fifth inning to score Graves. After scoring one more run in the inning, Neal trimmed the deficit to 6-4.

The Bulldogs scored two big runs in the bottom of the sixth, to make the score 8-4.

The Eagles got a rally going in the seventh inning, loading the bases with one out. Derrick Barton scored to make the score 8-5. UMS-Wright pitcher Peyton Martin was able to strike out a swinging Frazier for the second out of the inning. Lane Chavers forced a walk to warrant a pitching change for UMS-Wright.

In one of the controversial at-bats of the evening, Neal’s Matt Hutchins was at-bat when he was hit by a pitch. Hutchins looked to take first base to bring in a Neal run from third base, but the umpire ruled Hutchins leaned into the ball to force contact. The ruling forced the Neal batter to take his place back in the box to continue the at-bat. Hutchins eventually flied out in foul territory to end the game.