Defense key for RH
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 3, 2007
ROME TOWNSHIP – The score might have said offense, but the coaches were speaking of defense.
The Rock Hill Redmen did not commit an error as they outscored the Fairland Dragons 9-6 Wednesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
“We’ve been playing some pretty good defense,” said Redmen coach Barry Litteral. “There was a lot of offense, but our defense was the difference.”
Fairland coach Roger Snyder agreed.
“We played a lot better, but Rock Hill made some nice plays in the field. They deserved to win both nights,” said Fairland coach Roger Snyder.
“We aren’t playing well right now. We’re just not getting it done.”
Rock Hill went up 2-0 in the second inning.
Zach Zornes got an infield hit but was forced at second base by Drew Kuehne. After Kuehne stole second and third, Mark DePriest walked. An error scored Kuehne and another throwing error sent DePriest home.
The lead went to 4-0 in the top of the third.
Seth Kuehne walked, J.C. Murnahan singled and Zornes singled in a run. Murnahan came home on a sacrifice fly by Drew Kuehne.
Fairland tied the game in the bottom of the inning.
Mike Zundel doubled, Zach Matasich was hit by a pitch, and Zach Jordan had an RBI single. Chris Barnett got a two-run double and Thackston singled in the final run.
Each team scored twice in the fifth inning.
Seth Kuehne was hit by a pitch, Murnahan singled and Blankenship was safe on an error as the run scored. After a force out, DePriest singled to drive in Murnahan.
Fairland’s rally began on a single by Thackston and a two-run homer by Easterling.
Rock Hill came back with the three decisive runs in the sixth inning.
Nathan Davenport walked, Corey Burke singled and Murnahan doubled for two runs.
Blankenship doubled home the final run.
Rock Hill (5-3. 3-2) plays at South Point Friday. Fairland (8-4, 3-3) plays at Spring Valley, W.Va., Thursday.
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Mark DePriest, David Turley (6) and J.C. Murnahan. Tyler Thackston, Robbie Easterling (6), Chris Barnett (6) and Zach Matasich. W-DePriest (0-K, 2-BB). Save-Turley (1-K, 0-BB). L-Easterling (1-K, 1-BB, 2-H, 3-R). 2B-RH: Murnahan, Carl Blankenship; Fairland: Chris Barnett, Mike Zundel. HR-Fairland: Robbie Easterling. Hitting-Rock Hill: J.C. Murnahan 4-4, Carl Blankenship 1-4, Mark DePriest 1-3, Zach Zornes 2-4, Corey Burke 1-5, Josh Guy 1-3, Drew Kuehne 1-2; Fairland: Zach Matasich 1-3, Zach Jordan 1-3, Chris Barnett 1-4, Tyler Thackston 2-4, Robbie Easterling 4-4, Mike Zundel 1-3.
Chesapeake 10,
River Valley 0
CHESAPEAKE – This was a win made for the Chesapeake Panthers.
The Panthers made things go the right way as they used the one-hit pitching of Justin Geneseo to beat the River Valley Raiders 10-0 Wednesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
“Geneseo made good pitches and we made the plays when we needed,” Panthers coach Joe Waugh said.
Geneseo struck out five and did not walk a batter.
Chesapeake scored four runs in each of the first two innings.
Clinton Baise walked and stole second and third. Bryon Huff walked and a ground out scored Baise with Huff going to third.
Kersten Harris reached on an error for a run, stole second and came home on a double by Jaren Bartoe.
A wild pitch sent Bartoe to third and he scored on a ground out.
In the second, Aaron Donohoe walked to start the inning and moved up on a wild pitch. Baise then got an RBI single.
Huff singled, a wild pitch advanced the runners, and Kyle Rase hit into a fielder’s choice as a run scored and all the runners were safe.
Harris delivered a two-run single to cap the rally.
The final two runs scored in the fourth.
Rase doubled to open the inning and came home on a hit by Harris. A throwing error sent Harris to second base and he scored on a single by Bartoe.
Harris and Bartoe each went 2-3.
Chesapeake (3-6, 3-3) visits Fairland Friday.
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Jason Jones, Matt Goodrich (3) and Eric Caldwell. Justin Geneseo and Bryon Huff, Nick Allen (5). W-Geneseo (5-K, 0-BB). L-Jones. 2B-Chesapeake: Kyle Rase, Jaren Bartoe. Hitting-River Valley: Justin Ireland 1-2: Chesapeake: Clinton Baise 1-1, Bryon Huff 1-1, Kyle Rase 1-3, Kersten Harris 2-3, Jaren Bartoe 2-3.