SOUTH POINT — The Coal Grove Hornets ordered their usual performance from their pitcher.

They also ordered the unusual at the plate.

Wayne Sparks gave the Hornets another solid pitching effort, but the offense scored more than five runs for the first time this season as Coal Grove blanked the South Point Pointers 6-0 Tuesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“That’s the way Wayne usually throws, but he did have better control. He didn’t throw a hundred pitches tonight. He threw a knuckleball on a 3-2 pitch and froze a guy,” said Hornets’ coach John Jones.

Sparks fanned seven, walked one and gave up just three hits in going the distance. The offense backed him with 11 hits.

“Everyone but one guy in the lineup had a hit. We hit the ball pretty well. Our pitchers are throwing great games, but we haven’t been scoring a lot of runs. This was a nice change tonight,” said Jones.

Josh Esque threw well for the Pointers over the first four innings, but the Hornets were able to break a scoreless tie with four runs in the fifth inning.

Sparks and Jared Eldridge singled and Justin Hern beat out a bunt single to load the bases. Oakie Haynes had a two-out double to clear the bases and he scored when Drew Jenkins had a base hit.

The Hornets added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh inning.

Aaron Conley singled but was forced out by Rye Goodwin. Haynes and Jenkins singled for a run and Shannon Goodwin had a two-out single for the final run.

South Point stranded just one runner when Jacob Seagraves singled in the first inning.

Jenkins and Haynes each went 2-4.

Coal Grove (5-5, 4-3) visits Fairland on Wednesday.

Coal Grove 000 040 2 = 6 11 2

South Point 000 000 0 = 0 3 2

Wayne Sparks and Aaron Conley. Josh Esque, Jacob Seagraves (5) and Stephen McClure. W-Sparks (7-K, 1-BB). L-Esque. 2B-CG: Oakie Haynes; SP: Jake Adkins. Hitting-Coal Grove: Oakie Haynes 2-4, Drew Jenkins 2-4, Jake Murphy 1-3, Shannon Goodwin 1-4, Wayne Sparks 1-4, Jared Eldridge 1-3, Justin Hern 1-3, Aaron Conley 1-3; South Point: Adkins 1-3, Jacob Seagraves 1-3, Shane Meadows 1-2.