Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — This is one time Kenzie Martin didn’t mind a little drama in her life.

Martin hit a dramatic three-run, walk-off home run in the eighth inning as the Rock Hill Redwomen beat the Chesapeake Lady Panthers 8-5 on Wednesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“Some of our young kids have stepped up and hit for us, and Martin really came up big for us tonight,” said Rock Hill coach Mary Harper.

Chesapeake scored four times in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game and force extra innings.

Kelsey Huff reached on an error, Macy Allen walked and Jordan Porter had an RBI double. Ali Ransbottom singled in two run and Melanie Noble singled to drive in the tying run.

But Brooke Eastham and Brooke Hanshaw walked to start the bottom of the eighth inning and Martin drilled the first pitch for a three-run homer.

The game was scoreless until the fourth when each team got a run.

Allen walked, Porter had a sacrifice bunt and Ransbottom singled to give the Lady Panthers a 1-0 lead.

Kenzie Harris singled, went to second on a sacrifice by Sami Nixon and scored on a throwing error as Rock Hill tied the game in the bottom of the inning.

Rock Hill (2-0, 2-0) took a 5-1 lead with four runs in the fifth.

Eastham and Emmalee Ellis singled and Hanshaw reached on a fielder’s choice for a run. After a pair of wild pitches, Kaelynn Ellis had a two-run single, Lindy Simpson an RBI single, and Sami Dillon a two-run double.

That set the stage for the wild and dramatic final two innings.

Chesapeake 000 100 40 = 5 8 2

Rock Hill 000 140 03 = 8 10 3

Melanie Noble and Kelsey Huff. Sami Nixon and Brooke Eastham. W-Nixon (K-11, BB-5). L-Noble (K-8, BB-4). 2B-Chesapeake: Jordan Porter, Kelsey Huff; RH: Sami Dillon, Sami Nixon. Hitting-Chesapeake: Kelsey Huff 1-5, Jordan Porter 1-4, Ali Ransbottom 4-4, Melanie Noble 2-3; RH: Brooke Eastham 2-4, Kenzie Martin 2-5, Kaelynn Ellis 1-3, Lindy Simpson 1-4, Riann Keating 1-1, Sami Dillon 2-4, Emmalee Ellis 1-2.