Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WESTWOOD, Ky. — Daniel Rutherford had a great game. And he did it all in one inning.

Rutherford had a triple and a home run with five runs batted in as Coal Grove scored nine runs in the first inning en route to a 12-8 win over the Fairview Eagles on Wednesday.

“We played well. We came out and hit the ball well,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader. “We kind of lost our intensity after the start and let them back in the game, but we regrouped and played pretty well.”

Rutherford was 2-for-4 as Coal Grove (11-5) pounded out 15 hits.

Jesse Rigsby was 3-5 with a triple, Chase McKnight 3-4 and a triple, Jeb Jones 2-3, Dylan Malone 2-4, Jacob Clark 2-5 and Isaiah Gunther 1-3 for the Hornets.

Fairview (5-16) had 10 hits led by Justin Castle who went 5-for-5 and Blake Smith who was 3-4 with a triple.

Clark reached on an error to start the game and scored on Rutherford’s triple. Rigsby then grounded out as the run scored.

Sean Paulus walked, stole second and Malone had an RBI single. McKnight tripled for a run and Jones singled to make it 5-0.

Gunther walked, Clark singled to load the bases and Rutherford then cleared them with a long grand slam home run.

Fairview scored a run in the bottom of the inning, but the Hornets made it 11-1 in the top of the second.

Malone singled and scored on Jones’ base hit. Gunther singled and Clark had an RBI single.

The Eagles got three runs in the second to make it 11-4 and then the Hornets got their final run in the third when Rigsby tripled and Jacob Pierce hit a sacrifice fly.

Malone worked the final five innings to get the win. He struck out four, walked one, gave up seven hits and hit a batter.

Coal Grove visits Ironton on Thursday and hosts Fairland on Friday. The Hornets need to win both league games to keep their hopes of sharing the title.

Coal Grove 921 000 0 = 12 15 2

Fairview 130 102 1 = 8 10 4

Chase McKnight, Dylan Malone (3) and Jesse Rigsby. Hunter Adams, Ryan Eckers (1) and Jonathan Ruggles. W-Malone (IP-5, K-4, BB-1, HBP-1, H-7). McKnight (IP-2, K-2, BB-4, H-3). L-Adams. Hitting—CG: Jacob Clark 2-5, Daniel Rutherford 2-4 HR 3B rbi-5, Jesse Rigsby 3-5 3B, Dylan Malone 2-4, Chase McKnight 3-4 3B, Jeb Jones 2-3, Isaiah Gunther 1-3; FHS: Blake Smith 3-4 3B, Justin Castle 5-5, Kyle Stormes 1-3, Jonathan Ruggles 1-4.