Bobcats take out W.S. Neal in hard-fought affair

Published 12:00 am Saturday, April 16, 2016

Orlando Lacey avoids a W.S. Neal runner as he attempts to turn a double play for the Bobcats.

Orlando Lacey avoids a W.S. Neal runner as he attempts to turn a double play for the Bobcats.

The Class 3A Opp Bobcats got the sticks and the defense going in a 6-3 victory over Class 4A W.S. Neal.

On the hill for the Bobcats, Kody Richburg picked up a pair of strikeouts in the top of the first inning.

Opp got things started offensively when Alex Wise led off the bottom of the second inning with a line drive single to right.

Defensive interference was called on W.S. Neal during the play and Wise was awarded second.

A line drive single from Greg House pushed across Wise for the Bobcats’ first run of the game.

Orlando Lacey then plated Talon Flowers with a fielder’s choice to short.

W.S. Neal battled back in the top of the third inning and the tied the game at 2-2.

Richburg made a strong play on the mound with runners on first and third to give the Bobcats their first out of the inning.

The speedy W.S. Neal runner on first broke on early steal of second, and without hesitation, Richburg fired to his second baseman who was in perfect position to apply the tag. Not only getting the Bobcats an out, but also holding the runner on third.

The score remained 2-2 until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Bobcats took advantage of several W.S. Neal miscues to take a 3-2 lead.

After the first two Bobcats were retired to start the bottom of the fourth, Opp loaded the bases off an error an two hit batters.

Lane Worley then drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Bobcats up 3-2.

Dylan Dee drew a walk to start off the bottom of the fifth inning and Hennis Washington was brought in to run the bases for Dee.

Washington quickly stole second and the came around to score when Parker Bracke dropped down a bunt and reached off an error.

W.S. Neal picked up a run off a fielder’s choice in top of the sixth inning to cut the Bobcats’ lead down to 4-3.

Greg House led off the bottom of the sixth inning by reaching off an error and Lacey followed with a single.

The Bobcats loaded up the bases when Washington drew a walk and a walk to Bracke brought House in to score.

Wise was then hit by a pitch with the bases still loaded and Lacey scored the final run of the game to give the Bobcats a 6-3 victory.

Dee finished the game 2-for-2 with a walk.

Lacey was 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored.

Wise finished with one hit , one run and one RBI for the Bobcats in the win.

House also had one hit, one run and one RBI for Opp.

Flowers finished the game with one walk and two runs scored.

Richburg finished with three innings pitched, four hits and two runs for the Bobcats.

Brett James was the winning pitcher for Opp, working in relief of Richburg. James struck out one, walked run, allowed one hit and one run in three innings of work.