Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

COAL GROVE — The recipe mix the Coal Grove Hornets are using is cooking up really well.

A good mixture of young and older players helped the Hornets improve to 3-0 as they beat the Chesapeake Panthers 14-3 Monday in five innings.

Freshman Daniel Rutherford got the win as he allowed seven hits, struck out three and walked two.

The Hornets had 10 hits in their Ohio Valley Conference opener. Mason Nance was 3-4 with a double and five runs batted in to lead the offense. D.J. Miller was 2-2 with a double, a triple and three RBIs while Jesse Rigsby was 2-4 with a double and Jacob Clark 2-3

“Rutherford threw a nice game for a freshman,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader. “We had a good mixture of older guys showing leadership and the younger guys playing good baseball. They come in and work hard every day.”

Coal Grove virtually settled the issue in the first inning with eight runs.

Miller walked and Nance was safe on a fielder’s choice. Conor Markins was hit by a pitch and the next three batters walked to force in runs.

Clark singled home a run, Miller cleared the bases with a double and Nance capped the rally with an RBI double.

Chesapeake got a run back in the top of the second.

Austin Stone reached on a fielder’ choice, Bobby Arthurs walked and Jacob Eddy had an RBI single.

The Panthers scored a run in the third when Blake Lester singled, Dakota Hutchinson reached on an error and Stone’s RBI single.

The Hornets got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Miller tripled and Nance singled.

The Panthers scored in the fourth when Koby McWhorter doubled and scored on a hit by Casey McComas.

The Hornets put the game away with five runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Rutherford singled, Sean Paulus walked and Clark had an RBI single. Miller was hit by a pitch and Nance had a three-run double. Rigsby then doubled home Nance.

On Wednesday, Coal Grove visits Fairland and Chesapeake travels to Rock Hill.

Chesapeake 011 10 = 3 7 1

Coal Grove 801 5x = 14 10 1

Austin Stone, Jacob Henson (3), Bobby Arthur (4) and Derek Morris. Daniel Rutherford and Jesse Rigsby. W-Rutherford (K-3, BB-2). L-Stone. Hitting-Chesapeake: Casey McComas 1-3 rbi, Blake Lester 1-3, Dakota Hutchinson 1-3, Austin Stone 1-2 rbi, Kolton Webb 1-3, Jacob Eddy 1-2 rbi, Koby McWhorter 1-2 2B; CG: D.J. Miller 2-2 rbi-3, Mason Nance 3-4 rbi-5, Jesse Rigsby 2-4 rbi, Daniel Rutherford 1-2 rbi, Jacob Clark 2-3 rbi. 2B-CG: D.J. Miller, Mason Nance, Jesse Rigsby. 3B-CG: D.J. Miller.