By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

SANDY HOOK, Ky. — The Coal Grove Hornets are off and running.

Combining four stolen bases with 11 hits, the Hornets rolled past the Elliott County Lions 12-3 Monday in the season opener.

“We have a lot of new kids and we have some injuries, so it was nice to win. We played pretty well,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader.

“We’re going to run a lot and try and put pressure on the defense. We did a lot of that today.”

Jake Murphy pitched a three-hitter as he held the Lions (0-3) at bay. Murphy struck out six, walked four and hit three batters.

Garrett Myers went 3-for-4 with four runs batted in to pace the Hornets’ offense. Corey Bryant and Cody Pennington were 2-4 and Cody Gool 2-5.

Gool and Pennington singled, Murphy walked and two wild pitches gave the Hornets a 2-0 lead in the first.

The Lions got a run in the bottom of the inning, but the Hornets scored two more in the third.

Jared Eldridge walked, Conor Markins was safe on an error and Myers doubled to score Eldridge and pinch-runner Jordan Beals.

Murphy singled, stole second and third and scored on a throwing error in the fourth and it was 5-1.

Myers reached on an error, stole third and scored on a passed ball in the fifth.

Each team scored twice in the sixth.

Coal Grove scored when Pennington walked and moved up on a wild pitch, Murphy walked and stole second, Myers singled in a run and a passed ball scored Murphy.

The Hornets put the game away with four runs in the seventh.

Bryant, Gool and Pennington singled for a run, Murphy walked, Eldridge had a two-run triple and Myers an RBI single.

Coal Grove hosts Ironton on Tuesday.

Coal Grove 202 112 4 = 12 11 2

Elliott County 100 002 0 = 3 3 3

Jake Murphy and Jared Eldridge. Loza, Wagoner (4) and Martin. W-Murphy (6-K, 4-BB, 3-HBP). 2B-CG: Garrett Myers. 3B-CG: Jared Eldridge. Hitting-Coal Grove: Cody Gool 2-5, Cody Pennington 2-4, Jake Murphy 1-2 3-BB, Garrett Myers 3-4 4-RBI, Bubba Wood 1-4, Corey Bryant 2-4; Elliott County: Loza 1-3, Elliott 2-3.