By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

PROCTORVILLE — The Fairland Dragons did something they’ve been doing and something they haven’t. Either way, they want to do both of them again and again.

The Dragons picked up their fifth win in six games while playing their first error-free game of the season in a 9-2 win over the Coal Grove Hornets in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Wednesday.

Alex Thompson was the beneficiary of the strong defense as he worked five innings to get the win.

“Thompson started out a little wild, but he was nervous and he pitched well,” said Fairland coach Bryan Ward. “He kept the ball down and he let the defense work behind him.”

Fairland (5-1, 2-0) had 10 hits as Josh Ross and Blaine Fuller each went 2-3 with a double and an RBI.

Conor Markins had the Hornets only hit.

Coal Grove took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Cody Pennington was hit by a pitch, Mason Nance walked, and after a passed ball Markins grounded out.

But Fairland scored four times in the third.

Barker singled, Eric Riley and Thackston walked, Kyle Raines reached on an error and Murphy doubled to clear the bases.

Markins signled, moved up on a ground out and wild pitch and scored when Austin Gumbert grounded out as Coal Grove got within 4-2 in the top of the fourth.

Fairland got the run back in the bottom of the inning wen Riley reached on an error and scored on Alex Thackston’s single.

The Dragons scored two runs in each of the next two innings.

Ross singled, Thompson walked, Aliff singled and Fuller had a two-run double in the fifth. Raines walked, Ross had an RBI double and Corey Burcham an RBI single in the sixth.

Coal Grove 100 100 0 = 2 1 3

Fairland 004 122 x = 9 10 0

Conor Markins, Jonathan Joseph (4) and Jesse Rigsby. Alex Thompson, Josh Ross (6) and Josh Ross, Jarrett Scheibelhood (6). W-Thompson (K-3, BB-3). L-Markins. 2B-Fairland: Josh Ross, Blaine Fuller, Dillan Murphy. Hitting-CG: Conor Markins 1-3 rbi; Fairland: Josh Ross 2-3 rbi, Blaine Fuller 2-3 rbi, Alex Thackston 1-2, Dylan Murphy 1-3, Matt Aliff 1-3, Corey Burcham 1-1, Tyler Campbell 1-1 rbi, Corey Barker 1-4.