By By SCOTT COOPER – Sports Writer
As the W.S. Neal Blue Eagles traveled for their final game against Pensacola Christian, they were seeking a victory that would give them a winning season. However, the Blue Eagles ran into a buzzsaw in the form of Pensacola Christian's starting pitcher and ended with a loss that placed their overall record at an even 13-13.
Pensacola Christian drew first blood by grabbing a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, but the Blue Eagles struck back in the top of the third with a run on two errors that tied the game, 1-1.
After Pensacola Christian regained the lead at 3-1 with two more runs in the bottom half of the third, the score remained unchanged until a Blue Eagle rally in the top of the sixth.
Paul Crabtree and Derek Smith each produced singles before Jeffrey Coleman drew a walk that loaded the bases. Brennon Beasley then came through with a sacrifice fly that moved Crabtree across the plate while reducing the deficit to 3-2. But, the rally ended at that point as the Pensacola Christian pitcher responded with heat from the mound that put the clamps on the Blue Eagle offense.
Following a scoreless seventh inning, Neal exited the game on the short end of a 3-2 decision.
Although suffering the loss, Neal's Patrick Sorrells kept his team in the game by going the distance while allowing only one earned run on four hits and recording nine strikeouts.
Leading the Blue Eagle offense were Derek Smith, 1-for-1 and Paul Crabtree, 1-for-3.