Hornets roll past Raiders
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 3, 2007
COAL GROVE — Sometimes a little can go a long way.
The Coal Grove Hornets had just six hits but still managed to rout the River Valley Raiders 12-1 Friday in a five-inning Ohio Valley Conference game.
“We just took advantage of our opportunities,” said Hornets coach John Jones. “We got some walks, a few hit batsmen and some errors and put them together with our hits. We manufactured some runs.”
Coal Grove took a 3-0 lead in the first inning with one out.
Zach Murphy and Shannon Goodwin walked and Taylor Dean singled for the first run. Scott Harbolt singled home Goodwin and, after Alex Johnson walked, Wayne sparks hit a sacrifice fly.
The Hornets erupted for six runs in the second inning to lead 9-0.
Matt Cooper walked, Murphy was hit by a pitch, and Goodwin was safe on a fielder’s choice as a run scored. Dean and Harbolt walked to force in a run.
Johnson reached on an error to score Goodwin and Sparks doubled home two more runs. After a walk, Cooper hit into a fielder’s choice Johnson scored.
River Valley used a walk, a single and a sacrifice fly by Clayton Curnutte to score its only run in the third inning.
But Coal Grove put the game away with three runs in the fifth inning.
Cooper was safe on an error, stole second and scored when Murphy doubled. An out later, Dean singled in a run.
Harbolt was hit by a pitch and Johnson delivered a two-run double to end the game.
Johnson allowed just one hit to get the win. He struck out eight and walked two.
Coal Grove (6-9, 3-3) travels to Chesapeake Monday.
River Valley00100=112
Coal Grove36003=1261
Ryan Eggleton, Aaron Mulholland (2) and Eric Caldwell. Alex Johnson and Sean Stormes.
W-Johnson (8-K, 2-BB). L-Eggleton. 2B-Coal Grove: Zach Murphy, Alex Johnson, Wayne Sparks. Hitting-RV: Marcus Frazier 1-2; Coal Grove: Zach Murphy 1-2, Taylor Dean 2-3, Scott Harbolt 1-1, Alex Johnson 1-2, Wayne Sparks 1-2.