Sparks, Hornets down Panthers
Published 11:20 pm Saturday, May 1, 2010
COAL GROVE — Wayne Sparks looked like Wayne Sparks. And that didn’t look too good for the Chesapeake Panthers.
Sparks pitched a one-hitter as the Coal Grove Hornets beat the Panthers 10-0 in five innings Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
Sparks struck out six and walked just one to get the win and avenge an earlier loss this season to the Panthers.
“Wayne threw a lot harder than he did the first time we played them. He looked like he is supposed to look,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader.
“He only struck out six, so we had to field the ball and we played good defense behind him. It was a pretty good win.”
Jake Murphy went 2-3 with three runs batted in and four stolen bases to pace the offense. Nathan Sullivan was 2-3 with two doubles as the Hornets collected eight hits.
The game was scoreless until the third inning when the Hornets scored three.
Sullivan doubled and Justin Hern was safe on a sacrifice bunt attempt as the run scored. Murphy singled home Hern and then came around to score by stealing second, third and home.
“The third inning we manufactured some runs and that got us going and gave us some confidence,” said Mader.
Travis Jackson walked, Mark Davidson singled, Sullivan hit into a fielder’s choice and Cody Gool had an RBI single to start a three-run fourth inning. Murphy followed with a two-run single.
Coal Grove (8-9, 6-3) put the game away with two-out, four-run rally in the fifth.
Drew Jenkins and Jackson doubled for a run, Davidson reached on an error to score Jackson, Sullivan doubled for another run and Gool was safe on an outfield error that scored Sullivan to end the game.
Coal Grove plays at Portsmouth Notre Dame on Monday.
Chesapeake 000 00 = 0 1 3
Coal Grove 003 34 = 10 8 1
Hunter Bare and Brandon Noble. Wayne Sparks and Jake Murphy. W-Sparks (6-K, 1-BB). L-Bare (7-K, 2-BB). 2B-CG: Jake Murphy, Travis Jackson, Nathan Sullivan 2. Hitting-Chesapeake: Jake Lewis 1-2; Coal Grove: Jake Murphy 2-3 3-RBI, Drew Jenkins 1-2, Travis Jackson 1-2, Mark Davidson 1-3, Nathan Sullivan 2-3, Cody Gool 1-3.
Rock Hill 31,
River Valley 5
BIDWELL — It looked like a football score, but it was just a big baseball win.
The Rock Hill Redmen combined 16 hits, 19 walks and four hit batsmen to rout the River Valley Raiders 31-5 Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
Rock Hill (11-8, 6-4) was led by Cody Massie and Jeremy Blagg who each went 3-5 at the plate. Shane Russell was 2-3 with a home run, Josh Malone was only 1-1 but walked four times and scored five runs.
Chris Donahue and Blagg had doubles for the other Rock Hill extra base hits.
Devin Darby went four innings to get the win while Drew Kidd pitched the fifth. The two limited the Raiders to six hits.
The Redmen host Ashland, Ky., at 5 p.m. on Monday.
Rock Hill 15(12) (13)0 = 31 16 4
River Val. 002 21 = 5 6 8
Devin Darby, Drew Kidd (5), and Cody Massie, Josh Malone (5). Young and Noble. W-Darby (2-ER, 4-K, 5-BB). L-Young. 2B-RH: Jeremy Blagg, Chris Donahue; River Valley: Young. HR-RH: Shane Russell. Hitting-Rock Hill: Josh Malone 1-1 5-runs, Jared Bruce 1-1, Devin Darby 1-3, Cody Massie 3-5, Jeremy Blagg 3-5, Jonathan Schob 1-3, Chris Donahue 1-1, Shane Russell 2-3, Laden Delawder 1-1, Matt Jenkins 1-1, Chris LeMaster 1-3; River Valley: Smith 1-2, Helms 1-3, Smith 1-3, Young 3-3.