Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — This win was good from top to bottom.

With the bottom of the order getting on base and the top of the order getting the runs batted in, the Rock Hill Redmen beat the Fairland Dragons 6-2 on Monday in a battle for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference.

“The bottom of the order got on and the top four drove them in. That’s the way it’s supposed to work,” said Rock Hill coach Barry Litteral.

Rock Hill is now 5-1 overall and 4-0 in the OVC, good for sole possession of first place. Fairland fell to 4-4 and 3-1.

Jonathan Joseph got the win with a four-hitter. He struck out 13 and walked just one.

Matt Aliff took the loss. He fanned six, walked two and hit three batters.

The Redmen had just five hits and none for extra bases.

“We did the little things right. We’re not a power team. We get on base and execute,” said Litteral.

Fairland grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Kyle Sowards singled, stole second and third, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Josh Ross.

Rock Hill took a 2-1 lead in the second inning.

Aaron Dalton and Jordan Hairston walked, Austin Kidd put down a sacrifice bunt, and Jonah Cox singled home both runners.

The Redmen opened up a 6-1 lead with four runs in the fourth.

Hairston and Kidd were hit by pitches, Drew McClaskey put down a bunt that was thrown away allowing Hairston to score. The runners moved up on a passed ball, Laden Delawder had a sacrifice fly and Jack Goodwin singled home the final run.

Fairland managed a run in the fifth. Dylan Murphy doubled with one out, stole third and came home on a sacrifice fly by Evan Russell.

Fairland 100 010 0 = 2 4 4

Rock Hill 020 400 x = 6 5 0

Matt Aliff and Garrett Scheibelhood. Jonathan Joseph and Austin Kidd. W-Joseph (K-13, BB-1). L-Aliff (K-6, BB-2, HBP-3). 2B-Fairland: Dylan Murphy. Hitting-Fairland: Kyle Sowards 2-3, Garrett Scheibelhood 1-3, Dylan Murphy 1-1; RH: Jonah Cox 1-4, Laden Delawder 1-3, Jack Goodwin 1-4, Jonathan Joseph 2-4.