COAL GROVE - Tommy Pemberton is stingy, and Coal Grove coach John Jones is glad.

Pemberton, the Hornets senior pitcher, continued his dominant pitching performances as he fired a 3-hitter Tuesday to lead Coal Grove past the Rock Hill Redmen 3-2 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

"Tommy has pitched a lot of tough games all season. He doesn't give up many runs or hits, but he's been unlucky," Jones said.

Pemberton struck out 17 and walked just two as he went the distance.

For the season, Pemberton has now struck out 83 batters in 44 innings. Only eight of the 17 runs he has allowed have been earned.

Rock Hill's Aaron Miller pitched well in defeat. He allowed only six hits, struck out five and walked two.

Nick Bazell was 2-2 for the Hornets, the only batter with multiple hits.

"We just need to start hitting the ball like we're capable. I think we will if we can start playing on a regular basis," Jones said.

The game was scoreless until the fifth inning when Coal Grove scored all three of its runs.

Aaron Abt walked and Patrick Roush singled to put runners on the corners. Colton Hitchcock then hit a sacrifice fly and it was 1-0.

Bazell singled to send Roush to second and Bryan Bryant singled to load the bases. Andrew Johnson singled home a run and Randy Wise followed with another sacrifice fly.

Rock Hill got its two runs in the seventh inning.

Justin Lavender homered with one out. Nathan Wagner was safe on a two-base error and scored when Matt Wilson singled.

But Pemberton shut down the Redmen to secure the win.

Coal Grove is 5-7 and 2-4 in the OVC. Rock Hill 3-9 and 0-6.

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Aaron Miller and Nathan Wagner. Tom Pemberton and Colton Hitchcock. W-Pemberton (17-K, 2-W). L-Miller (5-K, 2-W). HR-Rock Hill: Justin Lavender. Hitting: Aaron Miller 1-3, Justin Lavender 1-2, Matt Wilson 1-2; Coal Grove: Andrew Johnson 1-3, Tommy Pemberton 1-3, Patrick Roush 1-3, Nick Bazell 2-2, Bryan Bryant 1-2.