By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

COAL GROVE — Good things come to those who wait.

Completing a game that started last Thursday only to be called after eight innings due to darkness, the Hornets scored twice in the ninth inning on Monday to beat the River Valley Raiders 4-3 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Jake Murphy got the win with a five-hitter. He struck out 13 and walked four in going the distance.

“It was a great game and a good win,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader. “Jake threw a great game and we got some clutch hits.”

River Valley’s Jacob Brown also pitched a complete game with 17 strikeouts. He gave up seven hits and walked three.

The Raiders got a run in the second when Nick Jeffers reached on an error and Trey Noble singled.

The Hornets (4-10, 2-8) rallied for two runs in the third on hits by Levi Morris and Cody Gool, a walk to Murphy and Jared Eldridge’s two-run single.

River Valley tied the game in the fifth on a walk to Noble and Jacob Brown’s base hit.

Coal Grove snapped the tie with two runs in the top of the ninth.

Eldridge doubled and Conor Markins had an RBI single. Garrett Myers singled, Mason Nance walked and Morris hit into a fielder’s choice as a run scored.

River Valley got a run in the bottom of the inning on Noble’s single and Cody Wimmer’s double, but Murphy retired the side to get the win.

In the regularly scheduled game on Monday, Coal Grove took a 4-0 lead only to fall 10-4.

The Hornets not only left 14 runners on base, they were guilt of six errors — all in the Raiders 9-run seventh inning.

The Hornets took a 2-0 lead in the second on an error and singles by Myers, Nance, Gool and Cody Pennington.

Murphy and Eldridge came around to score in the third after being hit by pitches.

Noble had a three-run homer in the Raiders’ seventh inning rally.

Coal Grove plays at Minford Tuesday in the Division III sectional semifinals.

Thursday’s Game

Coal Grove 002 000 002 = 4 7 3

River Valley 010 010 001 = 3 5 1

Jake Murphy and Jared Eldridge. Jacob Brown and Cody Smith. W-Murphy (K-13, BB-4). L-Brown (K-17, BB-3). 2B-Coal Grove: Jared Eldridge; River Valley: Austin Smith, Cody Wimmer. 3B-Coal Grove: Jake Murphy. Hitting-Coal Grove: Cody Gool 1-5, Jake Murphy 1-2, Jared Eldridge 2-4, Conor Markins 1-4, Garrett Myers 1-4, Levi Morris 1-4; River Valley: Trey Noble 2-4, Jacob Brown 1-5, Austin Smith 1-4, Cody Wimmer 1-4.

Monday’s Game

River Valley 000 100 9 = 10 8 1

Coal Grove 022 000 0 = 4 8 6

Cody Wimmer, Austin Smith (4) and Trey Farley. Garrett Myers, Jared Eldridge (4) and Jake Murphy. W-Wimmer. L-Eldridge. 2B-Coal Grove: Conor Markins. HR-River Valley: Trey Noble. Hitting-River Valley: Tyler Noble 1-5, Austin Smith 1-3, Cody Wimmer 1-5, Trey Noble 1-4, Nick Jeffers 1-3, Brandon Smith 2-3, Trey Farley 1-1; Coal Grove: Jake Murphy 1-1, Cody Gool 1-4, Cody Pennington 1-3, Conor Markins 1-3, Garrett Myers 2-2, Mason Nance 2-3.