EATON — Eaton’s baseball team moved above the .500 mark on the season with a pair of big wins late last week.

Powered by junior Gavin Winings first career home run – a grand slam – the Eagles rolled to an 11-6 win over visiting Waynesville in the Southwestern Buckeye League opener for both teams on Thursday, March 28.

Two days later, senior JT Gels hit and pitched Eaton to its second straight win, a 12-6 decision over visiting Twin Valley South.

With the wins, Eaton moved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the SWBL Buckeye Division.

Against Waynesville, Eaton tallied nine runs in the first inning, which was highlighted by Winings big hit to take control.

Winings went 1-for-2 with four RBIs, scored two runs and walked twice in the win.

Junior Dillon Jerdon added a hit and drove in two runs as did senior Xavier Mathews. Junior Trevor Davis added two hits and drove in a run.

Waynesville pulled with 9-4 after two innings before Eaton added two runs in the sixth.

On Saturday, March 30, Gels went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles, triple, and home run, while driving in seven runs. He also pitched five innings with nine strikeouts.

Eaton scored in each of the first three innings to build a 12-0 lead. The Eagles tallied three runs in the first, two in the second and seven in the third.

South got on the board with three in the first and sixth innings.

For Eaton, Luke Dunbar had a hit and drove in two runs. Cooper Wilson and Winings each had a hit and an RBI.

For South, Chandler Ulrich was 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Brayden Childers added three hits and scored twice.

Eaton was scheduled to host Preble Shawnee on Monday, April 1 and travel to Greenville on Tuesday. They are scheduled to play at Northmont on Thursday and visit Arcanum on Friday.

South (0-3, 0-1 WOAC) was scheduled to play at Newton on Tuesday. They are to host Tri-County North on Thursday and play at Ansonia on Friday.

Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on X @emowenjr.