‘Neal-ly’ good baseball game

As the Hobbton baseball team made the trek to Lakewood on Tuesday night, the game was more than just a Carolina 1A matchup: two sets of brothers — all with the same grandparents — took the field. Nathan, Ben, Caleb, and Landon Neal suited up for the battle of the big cats: Nathan and Ben for Hobbton and Caleb and Landon for Lakewood. It was the Wildcat duo that had the upper hand this go round, as Hobbton headed back to Newton Grove with a 6-0 win over Lakewood.

Landon Neal got the start on the mound for Lakewood, striking out Zack Aman to start the game after the two had worked themselves into a full count. The first pitch of the next at-bat for Ayden Lawson saw a grounder ripped to Lakewood’s second baseman, Aden Norton, who mishandled it and allowed the Wildcat batter to land at first. Kasey Lee struck out next, sending Nathan Neal to the batter’s box for the first cousin face off of the night.

After reaching first on another error, this time by shortstop Rylan Godbold, Nathan Neal worked himself into a pickle between first and second — with his cousins Caleb and Landon trying to get him out. The Leopards were successful, but not before Lawson crossed the plate as the rest of the infield was distracted, giving the Wildcats the 1-0 lead as the beginning of the first inning came to a close on the base paths.

Caden Martin went the distance on the rubber for Hobbton, but allowed the Lakewood Neal brothers to threaten the Wildcats early. Landon Neal was the Leopards’ lead-off hitter, taking the second pitch to left field for a double. Reed Ammons sacrificed himself on a bunt to get Neal to second, and Aden Norton grounded out back to Martin for a quick two outs. Caleb Neal’s turn was next, and it ended quickly as he was hit by a pitch on the second pitch of the at-bat to put Neals at the corners. Godbold flew out shortly after, leaving two runners on the bags early.

Eight straight outs unfolded between the two teams, as nobody could make anything happen until Aman was hit by a pitch to put Hobbton within striking distance for another run, but Lawson grounded out to finish the top of the third and the score remained the same at 1-0.

Lakewood once again threatened the lead in the bottom of the fifth, as Cooper Ivey was walked to start the frame, eventually making his way to third, but Martin rung up three straight Leopards to keep them at bay, taking down Johnson Rouse, Tyler Tew, and Dylan Drake along the way.

Drama unfolded in the top of the sixth, as Caleb Neal had come in as relief for the Leopards, walking Aman on four straight pitches. Two flyouts to the outfield later, and Caleb was facing his cousin Noah. Noah singled to left field, which gave Aman the green light to head home. Ivey chucked the ball to Ammons behind the dish, who was there to make Aman re-adjust his path towards home, yet the Wildcat was still declared safe, much to the disdain of the Lakewood crowd, as they argued Aman had left the base path. Lakewood head coach Austin Tanner came out to argue the call with the home plate umpire, to no avail, but was served with his first warning of the game as Hobbton took the 2-0 lead in late innings.

Landon Neal once again found himself on third in the bottom of the sixth, but his fellow Leopards could not get him home, and Lakewood remained scoreless.

Hobbton added four runs in the top of the seventh to seal the victory, scoring Kade and Joe Corbett, Lathan Warren, and Will Blackman to make it a 6-0 ball game. After a three-up, three-down bottom of the seventh, the Wildcats took the victory over their county and conference rivals.