Redmen roll past Hornets

Published 2:38 am Thursday, April 8, 2010

PEDRO — It was veterans’ day, Rock Hill baseball style.

Rock Hill’s veteran players helped the Redmen roll past the Coal Grove Hornets 15-5 in six innings Wednesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Doing most of the damage were Josh Malone, Shane Russell, Jeremy Blagg and Cody Massie who combined for 12 of Rock Hill’s 18 hits.

Email newsletter signup

“The upperclassmen provided the leadership today. They picked us up and we need that,” said Redmen coach Barry Litteral.

“It was a good team effort. (Ryan) Hackworth did his job and threw strikes. Everyone contributed one offense or defense.”

Coal Grove went up 1-0 in the top of the first inning on a solo home run by Wayne Sparks.

Rock Hill tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice and singles by Malone, Blagg and Massie. Malone had a home run and two triples while Blagg was 4-4.

The Redmen took the lead for good with three runs in the second inning.

Devin Darby singled, Drew Kidd walked and Malone cranked a three-run homer.

Two more runs scored in the third on a double by Blagg, Massie’s infield hit, and Darby’s triple.

Coal Grove (1-4, 1-1) got three runs in the fourth.

Sparks doubled and Frank Delawder singled to put runners on the corners. Delawder stole second and the runners advanced on a throwing error. Jared Eldridge was hit by a pitch and an error scored two more runs.

But the Redmen answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to lead 10-4.

With one out, Russell reached third on a dropped fly ball, Blagg walked and Massie had an RBI double. Darby followed with a two-run triple and Jenkins had an RBI single.

Coal Grove got a run in the fifth when Oakie Haynes reached second base on an error, stole third base and score on Sparks’ base hit.

The Redmen came back with four in the fifth.

Malone and Russell doubled for a run. Blagg had an RBI single, Massie reached on a fielder’s choice, Jonathan Schob singled, Jenkins was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Kidd and Chris Donahue both walked to force home runs.

Rock Hill ended the game in the sixth when Russell singled, moved up on a passed ball, stole third and came home on a hit by Blagg.

Rock Hill (4-1, 2-0) hosts Russell, Ky., Thursday.

Coal Grove 100 310 = 5 5 1

Rock Hill 132 441 = 15 18 3

Oakie Haynes (17-H, 14-R, 4-BB, 6-K, 2-HBP), Jake Murphy (6) and Jake Murphy (1-R, 2-H). Ryan Hackworth and Cody Massie. W-Hackworth (9-K, 1-BB, 2-ER, 1-HBP, 5-H). L-Haynes (16-H, 14-R, 4-BB, 6-K, 2-HBP). Murphy 1-R, 2-H. 2B-CG: Wayne Sparks; RH: Josh Malone, Shane Russell, Jeremy Blagg, Cody Massie. 3B-RH: Devin Darby 2. HR-CG: Wayne Sparks: RH: Josh Malone. Hitting-Coal Grove: Wayne Sparks 3-3, Frank Delawder 2-3; Rock Hill: Josh Malone 3-5, Shane Russell 2-4, Jeremy Blagg 4-4, Cody Massie 3-4, Jonathan Schob 1-4, Devin Darby 3-4, Matt Jenkins 1-3, Drew Kidd 1-1.