Chargers' Neal tosses one-hitter

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on April 9, 2010 1:47 PM

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While delivering his best pitching performance of the season, Cody Neal got a little help from his friends.

Neal tossed six shutout innings and allowed just one hit in Wayne Country Day's 11-0 win in six innings over Greenville Christian on day one of the Charger Diamond Classic.

Neal allowed a third-inning single to Johnny Tugwell and just one other Greenville Christian runner reached base the rest of the game. The Chargers played error-free defense behind Neal.

"That was Cody's best game of the year," said Wayne Country Day head coach Michael Taylor. "He did a good job of keeping the ball low and it also helps when we play defense. Cody did a good job with his location and making them hit ground balls. He stepped up today."

The Chargers' took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on Neal's lead-off solo home run to right field. Blake Marchese scored on an error in the home half of the second and Tucker Pearson's sacrifice fly pushed the lead to 3-0.

Dare Uzzell's two-run single in the bottom of the third increased the margin to 5-0.

Hil Tanner tacked on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth. Cole Davis scored on a balk and Uzzell contributed an RBI groundout to put Wayne Country Day in front 8-0.

Tyson Pearson's three-run home run to right in the bottom of the sixth ended the ballgame. Pearson and Creger both tallied two hits.

"Patience at the plate is something we've been talking about and talking about," said Taylor. "On his last at-bat he (Pearson) stayed on the backside. That's something I've been preaching is backside hitting. If we can hit to the backside we're going to be OK."

The Chargers (7-6 overall) entertain Wayne Christian at 1 p.m. today. The Eagles won the previous meeting, 13-3, in five innings.