By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

COAL GROVE — Youth is served.

Freshman Jacob Pierce struck out 16, walked just two as he fired a four-hitter to help the Coal Grove Hornets beat the Chesapeake Panthers 7-2 on Monday in the Ohio Valley Conference opener.

“Pierce has been throwing well. He came out and hit his spots,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader. “We’ve had a couple of freshmen pitchers get some wins for us. It’s nice to get that first league win.”

Pierce also went 2-3 as the Hornets collected five hits.

Coal Grove (2-3, 1-0) jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning.

Conor Markins walked, Pierce singled and an error allowed a run to score. Cody Pennington reached on a fielder’s choice as a run scored.

Austin Gumbert was hit by a pitch, Garrett Myers walked, Jesse Rigsby singled for two runs and Joe Colley singled in the final run.

Markins was safe on an error, Pierce singled and a passed ball and an error produced two runs in the second inning and it was 7-0.

Brandon Noble singled, stole second and scored on Hunter Bare’s base hit as Chesapeake scored in the fourth. Blake Lester walked, moved up on a wild pitch and Noble had an RBI single for a run in the sixth.

Chesapeake 000 101 0 = 2 4 8

Coal Grove 520 000 x = 7 5 1

Hunter Bare and Brandon Noble. Jacob Pierce and Jesse Rigsby. W-Pierce (K-16, BB-2). L-Bare (K-7, BB-5). 2B-Chesapeake: Blake Lester; CG: Jake Jewell. Hitting-Chesapeake: Blake Lester 1-2, Brandon Noble 2-3, Chapman 1-3; Coal Grove: Jake Jewell 1-1, Jacob Pierce 2-3, Jesse Rigsby 1-3, Joe Colley 1-3.