By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

COAL GROVE — The Coal Grove Hornets were missing four players. But the biggest thing missing Thursday was experience.

The young Hornets battled back but fell just short as they lost 8-7 to the South Point Pointers in an Ohio Valley Conference game Thursday.

“We’re young and we were playing kids who haven’t played much or who were playing out of position,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader.

“But we’re getting better and our seniors Jared Eldridge and Jake Murphy have been good leaders. Jared threw the ball well and Jake did a nice job.”

South Point got a run in the top of the first inning on a missed third strike and Kyle Dickess reaching on an error.

Murphy walked, stole second and scored on a hit by Eldridge to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.

Caleb Esque singled, an error, Josh Hamm’s RBI single and another error gave the Pointers two runs in the second.

Coal Grove (1-4, 0-2) tied the game in the third on doubles by Cory Bryant and Cody Gool, a fielder’s choice and Eldridge’s base hit.

The Pointers scored four runs in the fourth on a walk and five singles.

Coal Grove got a run in the fifth when Gool singled, moved up on a ground out, Murphy walked and the pair pulled off a double steal.

South Point got the run back in the sixth when Austin Jeffreys singled, stole second and scored on an error.

The Hornets got within 8-7 in the seventh after Garrett Myers reached on a dropped third strike and Murphy’s two-run homer.

South Point 120 401 0 = 8 8 3

Coal Grove 102 011 2 = 7 6 5

Boggs and Cihon. Jared Eldridge and Jake Murphy. W-Boggs (K-8, BB-2). L-Eldridge (K-6, BB-2). 2B-Coal Grove: Cody Gool, Jake Murphy. HR-Coal Grove: Jake Murphy. Hitting-South Point: Jeffreys 1-3, Lien 1-4 rbi, Winkler 1-3, Boggs 1-3, Esque 1-4, Pauley 1-2, Hamm 2-4; Coal Grove: Cory Bryant 1-3, Jake Murphy 2-2 2-rbi, Cody Gool 2-4 rbi, Jared Eldridge 1-3 2-rbi.