Coal Grove survives errors to beat Redmen, 11-9

Published 12:00 am Friday, April 27, 2001

PEDRO – Maybe there were no Gold Gloves handed out to the Coal Grove Hornets Thursday, but that didn’t stop them from winning.

Friday, April 27, 2001

PEDRO – Maybe there were no Gold Gloves handed out to the Coal Grove Hornets Thursday, but that didn’t stop them from winning.

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Despite an amazing 15 errors, the Hornets held off the Rock Hill Redmen 11-9 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

"It was ugly the last time we were out there and it was ugly this time," Hornets coach John Jones said. "Hopefully, we’re coming around. We’re happy to get a win. If you make 15 errors, you’re supposed to lose."

Eight of Rock Hill’s nine runs were unearned. To make matters worse, Hornets ace Jarrod Keaton suffered a cut on his pitching hand and had to be relieved in the second inning. Freshman reliever Tommy Pemberton got his first career win as he struck out seven, walked three, and gave up four unearned runs.

"Tommy pitched pretty good and we hit the ball pretty good," said Jones.

Coal Grove had 12 hits with Tyler Waller and Pemberton going 3-for-4, and Josh Wheeler and Ryan Brown 2-for-3.

Rock Hill had nine hits with David Malone going 2-for-4.

"Both teams hit the ball, we just couldn’t get the key hits," Redmen coach Barry Litteral said.

Coal Grove went up 2-0 in the top of the first.

Brown walked, stole second, and took third on Waller’ hit. Waller stole second, and the throw was botched allowing Brown to score and Waller went to third. Scott Lewis then hit a sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the inning, Rock Hill came back to scored three runs with the help of six Coal Grove errors.

Nathan Litteral went to third when his fly ball was dropped and scored when Kyle Lewis hit a sacrifice fly.

Jeff Crabtree and David Martin reached on errors, and, with two outs, David Malone was safe on a missed fly ball as a run scored. Sam Lewis had a base hit to drive in the final run.

Rock Hill got a run in the second when Matt Barnard walked, moved to second when Litteral grounded out, took third on a wild pitch, and scored when Crabtree reached on an infield error.

Coal Grove scored three runs in the third to go up 5-4.

Waller doubled, Jarrod Keaton walked, and Wheeler hit a three-run home run.

The Redmen tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a run when Malone doubled and Shawn Cade had a two-out base hit.

But the Hornets scored four times in the third to go up 9-5.

Wyatt Adkins singled and Tommy Pemberton doubled. Adkins was picked off third, but Brown slugged a two-run homer. Waller then walked, Keaton singled, and Lewis, Josh Keaton and Wheeler all walked to force in two more.

Rock Hill got two runs in the fourth to trail by two.

Litteral and Crabtree were safe on errors. Martin had a base hit when the ball struck the lead runner. After a double steal Malone singled home a run and a throwing error scored a run.

In the fifth, Brown doubled with two outs and Waller followed with a triple to make it 10-7.

Rock Hill scored two in the sixth to make it 10-9. Crabtree doubled, stole third, and came home when Martin reached on an error. Derek Malone reached on a one-out error for the final Rock Hill run.

The Hornets got an insurance run in the seventh.

Adkins walked, Pemberton singled, Jarrod Keaton was safe on an error, and Lewis was hit by-a-pitch to score Adkins.

The Hornets play at Chesapeake Monday. Rock Hill hosts Portsmouth Tuesday.

Coal Grove 203 410 1 – 11 12 15

Rock Hill 311 202 0 – 9 9 2

Jarrod Keaton, Tommy Pemberton (2), Eric Tackett (7) and Josh Wheeler. Derek Malone, Jeff Crabtree (4) and David Martin. W-Pemberton (7-K, 3-W, 4-R, 1-ER). L-Malone (2-K, 8-W). Save-Tackett. 2B-Coal Grove: Ryan Brown, Tyler Waller, Tommy Pemberton; Rock Hill: Dave Malone, Jeff Crabtree. 3B-Waller, HR-Wheeler, Brown. Hitting-Coal Grove: Ryan Brown 2-3, Tyler Waller 3-4, Josh Wheeler 2-3, Wyatt Adkins 1-3, Tommy Pemberton 3-4; Rock Hill: Nathan Litteral 1-5, Kyle Lewis 1-4, Jeff Crabtree 1-5, David Malone 2-4, Sam Lewis 1-4, Shawn Cade 1-3, David Martin 1-5.