Robert Blankenship

Sports Writer

The Fort Dale Academy boys baseball team scored more than enough runs to secure a win against region opponent Meadowview Christian Academy behind the dominate pitching of Marshall Watts who allowed only one run in a 10-1 win Tuesday in Selma.

Watts pitched seven innings and struck out 15 Meadowview batters, gave up two walks and only one earned run.

Both teams were unable to score early in the game. But, in the third inning, Bill Cates hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Josh Smith, who had tripled earlier in the inning, to come home for the 1-0 lead.

MCA came right back in the bottom of the inning with a run of their own to tie the score. With a baserunner on second and two outs, Watts put an end to his trouble by picking off a runner at second base to end the inning.

In the fourth inning, Dustin Holt led off with a walk followed by consecutive base hits by Adam Robertson and Steven Sorrells to load the bases. Mal Winters hit into a fielder's choice that drove in Holt to give FDA a 2-1 lead.

Daniel Miller followed with a double to left center field that allowed Robertson and Sorrells to round the bags, lifting the lead to 4-1. The Eagles' score continued to rise as Josh Smith hit a base hit that allowed Miller to move to third and score on a wild pitch moments later.

MCA brought in relief for their starter, but they continued to increase their lead. With two outs Todd Nicholas got a base hit scoring Smith. Holt, who was the first FDA batter to score in the inning also was the last as he came home on another wild pitch to make the score 8-1.

After that, Watts did the rest as he plowed through the MCA batters.

The Eagles added two more runs in the fifth with Smith and Cates both scoring RBIs, bringing in Clint Philpot and Daniel Miller, respectively.

Head coach Jim Brantley said his team did not play well early, but that they stuck to their game plan.

"We came out flat in the first few innings. After we managed to score we began doing the things that we need to do to; getting men on base and do what we have to in order to move them over. It wasn't our best game, but it was a good one," Brantley said.

Leading the Eagles offensively were Smith, who went 2-4 with a triple and an RBI, and Miller who finished the game 2-4 with a double and two RBIs.

The win puts FDA at 6-1 on the season and 2-0 in their region.

The Eagles will play a doubleheader at Beeland Park today against New Life Academy. The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.