Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

CHESAPEAKE — When the Chesapeake Panthers needed a good game, they got their best.

The Panthers needed a win to clinch at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference title. They responded with their biggest output for hits and runs on the season as they beat the Fairland Dragons 12-2 in six innings on Monday.

Chesapeake is now 11-5 overall and 10-1 in the league. The final league game is Friday at Coal Grove.

The Panthers need a win or a Coal Grove loss to win the title outright.

Jacob Henson fired a two-hitter and had a no-hitter for 5.1 innings. He also went 3-for-3 at the plate with a run batted in.

Blake Ashworth was 2-2 with a double and two RBI, Dakota Blankenship 2-3 and an RBI and Jacob Eddy 2-4 with an RBI as the Panthers collected 14 hits.

Chesapeake got three runs in the first inning.

Casey McComas was hit by a pitch, Nate Smith reached on an error, and McComas scored on a wild pitch. Blake Lester singled and Blankenship’s ground out scored a run. Eddy singled home the final run.

The lead went to 7-0 in the second inning.

Webb singled and McComas doubled him home. Smith singled and Lester hit a sacrifice fly. Blankenship got a hit and Henson had a two-run single.

Bobby Arthur doubled, Kobe McWhorter was safe on an error and McComas hit a sacrifice fly as pinch-runner Dalton Nida scored.

Fairland got its runs in the sixth on a single by Collin Damron, Dylan Murphy’s RBI triple and a sacrifice fly by Brett Curry.

But Chesapeake ended the game with four runs in the bottom of the inning.

Lester was safe on a dropped third strike and Blankenship, Henson and Eddy all singled for a run. Blake Ashworth singled in two, Kolton Webb walked to load the bases and McComas hit his second sacrifice fly to end the game.

The Panthers host Symmes Valley on Tuesday.

Fairland 000 002 = 2 2 4

Chesapeake 341 004 = 12 14 0

Hayden James, Seth Clay (3) and Garrett Scheibelhood. Jacob Henson and Derek Morris, Blake Ashworth (6). W-Henson (K-11, BB-4, ER-2). L-James (IP-2, K-1, BB-1, H-7, R-7, ER-7). Clay (IP-3.2, K-4, BB-1, H-7, R-5, ER-4). Hitting—FHS: Collin Damron 1-2, Dylan Murphy 1-2 rbi; Chesy: Casey McComas 1-1 rbi-3 2B, Nate Smith 1-4, Blake Lester 1-3 rbi, Dakota Blankenship 2-3 rbi, Jacob Henson 3-3 rbi, Jacob Eddy 2-4 rbi, Bobby Arthur 1-4, Blake Ashworth 2-2 2B rbi-2, Kolton Webb 1-2.