Neelyville's Garrett Griffin slides safely into third as Greenville third baseman Dylan Rhoden tries to track down the ball Thursday afternoon at a game in Neelyville. (Alex Abate/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer

NEELYVILLE -- After Greenville scored four runs in the top of the first inning, it looked like the Neelyville Tigers were in for a long game Thursday afternoon.

However, the Tigers battled back and took the lead in the second inning before adding six runs in the third on their way to a 16-6 win.

"When we stop and eliminate those mental errors, it is unbelievable what this team can do," Neelyville coach Jared Beaird said. "We had the bat hitting and that is good, especially with a young team."

The Tigers made their move in the bottom of the second, down 4-2. After they plated two runs to tie the game at 4-4, Josh Norden doubled to right-center field to score Mitch Dennis. After a Caleb Dockins single, Norden scored on a passed ball to make it 6-4.

The Tigers held the Bears scoreless in the top of the third and got things going again in the

bottom of the inning. Jordan Thomas led off with a single before Dustin Spencer reached on an error. Alex Bolt walked to load the bases with none out. After a fly out and Spencer being tagged out at home trying to score on a wild pitch, the Bears almost got out of the inning down just 7-4. However, Norden battled with two strikes and hit a double to deep center field that cleared the bases and gave the Tigers a 10-4 lead.

"When we needed the big hits, we got the big hits and that is the most important thing," Beaird said. "I think we probably hit over .300 today and that is a team goal."

After the base-clearing double, Greenville brought in pitcher Tyler Dougherty to face Dockins. Dockins wasted no time as he hit Dougherty's first pitch over the center field wall to make it 12-4.

"I think for them, their big thing was they started hitting the ball well and you could see them get relaxed," Greenville coach Jason Hill said. "They got comfortable and started having fun."

Down eight, the Bears made a push in the top of the fourth as they scored a run to make it 12-5 and had the bases loaded with two outs. However, Joey Morey flied out to right field to end the threat.

"He hit the ball hard and you get the bases loaded and that is all you ask to hit the ball hard," Hill said. "He hit it hard and they made a decent play on it. It could've turned the ballgame around but it didn't happen today for us."

The Tigers plated two runs in the bottom of the fourth and after a Greenville run in the fifth, added two more in the bottom of the inning to end the game.

Thomas pitched all five innings for the Tigers for the win and kept his composure after four runs crossed the plate in the top of the first inning.

"He maintained composure," Beaird said. "That is the most important thing that I see in a young pitcher. He did a great job and the defense got behind him."

The early run production was good for the Bears but they struggled to find a spark in the later innings Hill said

"The first two games , of the . season, we have gotten off to good starts," Hill said. "That is the first game we have had to play behind and I think that was some of it early on. To me, there are three reasons why we lost that game, we walked too many guys, they hit the ball well and we committed five errors."