Tigers Take care of Peabody... Monroe, LA ) Whatever it is that’s gotten into Michael Green the last two weeks, the Neville Tigers want to make sure it stays there. Green once again took command at the plate, hitting a three-run bomb that helped No. 6 Neville blow the doors off of No. 27 Peabody 12-2 in the first round of the Class 4A baseball playoffs at Embanato Field. “The pitcher actually made me look pretty stupid the pitch before with a curve ball, but he gave me a fast ball and I was able to hit it,” said Green, who made contact facing a full count. “I’m really just trying to be there for my team and be unselfish right now.” Green’s shot was Neville’s first hit of the game as the Tigers (24-11) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Four additional runs followed in the second. Nick Whitaker kicked things off by scoring Spencer Brooks with an RBI single and Thomas Green followed by sending a double to left field that brought Whitaker in. Neville plated two more on hits from Brian Barefoot and Thomas Nickelson. Before Peabody could look up, it was down 7-0 heading into the top of the third. The large deficit took the Warhorses (12-10) out of their small ball approach and forced them out of their element. “We were able to take them out of the bunting game and put them in a situation where they couldn’t afford to give us any outs,” Neville coach Paul Guerriero said. “That was our goal going into it was to try and get up and pitch well and play defense like we’re capable.” The black and gold shelling continued in the third inning as Neville collected five more runs on four hits. Peabody walked in the first run, then Barefoot singled for another. The next sequence summed up the day for Peabody as Neville scored two runs on a passed ball and a Warhorses error in the field. Nickelson — one of three Neville players who went 2-for-3 — tacked on a double that scratched across the Tigers’ final run. Peabody was able to score two runs in the top of the seventh, but Dee Scott popped out to left stranding two runners and ending the game. Neville ace Caleb Luffy picked up the win, while Peabody’s Brandon LeFear was tagged with the loss. Neville advances to the regional round where the Tigers will see either No. 11 DeRidder or No. 22 Salmen. “Regardless of who wins that, it’s going to be a dogfight so we’ll wait and see who it’s going to be,” Guerriero said.
Posted on: Sat, 03 May 2014 01:38:18 +0000