By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

PROCTORVILLE — The Fairland Dragons did their job on Monday, but they’ve got more work ahead of them.

Fairland stayed two games behind Rock Hill in the Ohio Valley Conference race with a 7-2 win over the River Valley Raiders on Monday.

With the win the Dragons keep pace in the OVC race. Fairland (11-5, 6-2) plays at first-place Rock Hill on Wednesday and hosts Chesapeake on Friday.

The Dragons need to win both games and hope for a Rock Hill loss to South Point on Friday in order to gain a share of the league title.

“It was a key game. All wins are important right now,” said Fairland coach Bryan Ward.

Matt Aliff got the win with six innings of work. He struck out six, walked four and gave up four hits. He also went 2-4 at the plate.

Luke Phillips walked, stole second base and scored on a hit by Kyle Raines as Fairland took a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

River Valley tied the game in the top of the second but the Dragons answered with three in the bottom of the inning.

Aliff reached on an error, stole second, took third on a passed ball and Evan Russell had an RBI single. Brandon Burcham singled and Blaine Fuller was safe on an error as two runs scored.

Josh Ross singled, stole second and scored on a hit by Aliff and it was 5-1 in the third inning.

Fairland added two insurance runs in the fourth to lead 7-1.

Raines reached on an error, stole second and scored when Ross was safe on an error. Ross stole second and came home when Alec Warner reached on an error.

River Valley 010 010 0 = 2 4 9

Fairland 131 200 x = 7 9 2

Cornett, Jo Jo Lloyd (5) and Early. Matt Aliff, Josh Ross (7) and Josh Ross, Jarrett Scheibelhood (7). W-Aliff (K-6, BB-4, H-4). Ross K-1, BB-1. L-Cornett. 2B-RV: Crowe; Fairland: Eric Riley. Hitting-RV: Zach Crowe 2-3, Nick Jeffers 1-4, Chris Clemente 1-3; Fairland: Eric Riley 1-3, Luke Phillips 1-4, Alec Warner 1-4, Brandon Burcham 1-3, Josh Ross 1-4, Matt Aliff 2-4, Evan Russell 1-4, Kyle Raines 1-4.