PORTSMOUTH — Getting ahead left the Coal Grove Hornets behind.

Getting ahead in the count didn’t help as the Portsmouth Trojans banged out 15 hits to beat the Coal Grove Hornets 16-1 Monday in the season opener for both teams.

Six Trojan batters were 0-2 in the count and got four hits. On four 1-2 counts, three batters came back to walk. All seven runners scored.

“It was a good learning experience. Taylor had trouble getting his curveball over and Portsmouth is a pretty good hitting team,” said Hornets coach John Jones.

“We just didn’t make good pitches when we were ahead in the count. We were trying to be too perfect.”

The Hornets got their only run in the first inning. Oakie Haynes and Zach Murphy reached on errors, Alex Johnson was safe on a fielder’s choice and Dean had a run-scoring single.

Portsmouth then erupted for 10 runs in the bottom of the inning to take control.

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Portsmouth(10)313x=16153

Taylor Dean, Wayne Sparks (1) and Sean Stormes, Taylor Dean (1). Steven Taylor and Jason Jones. W-Steven Taylor (8-K, 1-BB). L-Dean. 2B- Portsmouth: John Harcha, Howard Harcha 2, Matt Harcha, Storm Bratchett. Hitting-Coal Grove: Zach Murphy 1-3, Taylor Dean 1-2; Portsmouth: John Harcha 2-3, T.J. Aarowood 2-3, Brian Estep 1-3, Howard Harcha 4-4,Matt Harcha 1-2, Aaron Lacey 1-3, Storm Bratchett 2-3,Jason Jones 1-3, Josh Gillith 1-3.