Carolina 1A baseball: Eagles hand Gators first league defeat

By Allen Eztler
Published in Sports on May 3, 2014 11:27 PM

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aeztler@newsargus.com

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Before Rosewood freshman Derek Neal stepped into the batter's box in a pinch-hit role Friday evening, he scribbled "Phillipians 4:13" into the dirt like he's done since he was a kid.

Then he got the fastball he wanted.

Neal drove a two-RBI double down the right-field line and it proved to be the game-winning hit in a 3-1 victory over Carolina 1-A Conference foe Spring Creek at "The Swamp." The Eagles handed the Gators their first league loss of the season.

"I was sitting over there (in the dugout) on the bucket and when he hit it, I jumped up and looked for it," Rosewood pitcher Reed Howell said. "When it fell, I was like 'thank the Lord.' For a freshman to come off the bench like that and then first pitch does that, it was nice. I loved it."

The Eagles (12-4 overall, 9-1 CC) climbed to within percentage points of the conference-leading Gators, who are 16-4 overall and 11-1 heading into the final week of regular-season play.

"I'd be lying if I said (this win didn't mean a little more)," said Rosewood head coach Jason King, whose team extended its win streak to eight games. "They're an outstanding team and they're well coached. They do everything well."

Khalil Warren's ground ball passed a diving Sawyer Smith at third base and scored Jordan Lynn to give Rosewood a 1-0 lead in the third inning.

One inning later, Spring Creek responded on Chad Spurgeon's RBI double that scored Allen Coor.

Howell and the Gators' Logan Miller dueled with contrasting styles on the mound. Howell pounded the strike zone with his fastball, while Miller mixed speeds and kept Rosewood off balance with his curveball.

Each showed signs of fatigue as the game progressed.

After a short meeting with King, Howell worked out of a fifth-inning jam with two strikeouts and a pop-up. The Gators left two runners stranded who reached base on walks.

"I thought he responded to that well," King said. "He came back and threw strikes. I just told him not to try to miss their bats, let's take an out if they're going to give it to us."

With runners on the corners in the sixth inning, Coor walked out to chat with Spurgeon while the Spring Creek coaching staff discussed a pitching change. They called upon Spurgeon and signaled for the fastball, instead of a curveball, when Neal stepped up to the plate.

Had Miller remained on the hill, King wouldn't have replaced freshman Boone Moody with Neal.

"Hat's off to Jason then because he out-thought us on that," Whitfield said.

Miller fell to 7-1 on the mound this season.

Spring Creek rallied in the seventh on Matt Rogers' lead-off double. But Will Rouse popped out on a sacrifice bunt attempt and Howell picked off Rogers at second base to end the threat.

Lack of execution haunted the Gators.

"In a game like this everything is magnified," Whitfield said. "Every bunt we didn't get down, or the guys we had get picked off, and we have to limit those mistakes to be successful. We're not good enough to just walk out here and beat people."