By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

COAL GROVE — Jacob Pierce might be a generous person, but not when it comes to pitching. In fact, he’s down right stingy.

The Hornets’ freshman pitched his first career no-hitter as Coal Grove blanked the St. Joseph Flyers 10-0 in six innings on Wednesday.

“Pierce threw the ball well. He just kept throwing strikes and we didn’t make any errors behind him,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader.

“It was a good ballgame for three or four innings and then we started hitting the ball and forced them to make plays.”

Pierce struck out eight and walked five. He also had a two-run double.

Mason Nance was 2-2 and Conor Markins 2-4 as 11 different Hornets collected hits.

Markins singled, moved up on an error, took third when Pierce reached on a fielder’s choice as scored on the throw to second base when Pierce stole.

Cody Pennington reached on an error as Pierce scored and Joe Colley had an RBI single to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead in the fourth.

Coal Grove got five runs in the fifth.

Nance singled and Jessie Rigsby had an RBI double. Markins was safe on an error and Pierce hit his two-run double. Garrett Myers and Brandon Doyle followed with RBI singles.

The Hornets ended the game in the sixth when Pennington singled, Myers reached on an error and Jonathan Joseph had a two-run single.

Coal Grove will play at Portsmouth next Wednesday in the Division III sectional tournament.

St. Joseph 000 000 = 0 0 4

Coal Grove 000 352 = 10 13 0

Joseph Payton and Justin Mahlmeister. Jacob Pierce and Jessie Rigsby. W-Pierce (K-8, BB-5). L-Payton (K-3, BB-0). 2B-CG: Jessie Rigsby, Jacob Pierce. Hitting-CG: Mason Nance 2-2, Jessie Rigsby 1-3, Conor Markins 2-4, Jonathan Joseph 1-1, Jake Jewell 1-3, Steve Breeding 1-1, Jacob Pierce 1-3, Cody Pennington 1-4, Garrett Myers 1-4, Joe Colley 1-3, Brandon Doyle 1-1.