Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

COAL GROVE — The Rock Hill Redmen cashed in on their scoring opportunities, and Evan Morris and Jordan Hairston had the biggest paychecks.

Morris and Hairston combined for five hits and four runs batted in as the Redmen beat the Coal Grove Hornets 9-4 on Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“They took advantage of their scoring opportunities and we didn’t cash in on our chances,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader. “They came through offensively and defensively and we didn’t.”

Morris was 3-4 with a double and two RBI while Hairston was 2-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI.

In a game that saw each team pitch a Johnathan Joseph in relief, Rock Hill’s Joseph got the win as he struck out eight with no walks or hits over 4.1 innings of work.

Rock Hill (4-0, 3-0) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Laden Delawder singled, stole second and scored on a hit by Joseph.

Coal Grove (0-4, 0-3) took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning.

Alex Bare was hit by a pitch, Cody Pennington singled him to third and Conor Markins hit a sacrifice fly. Jesse Rigsby singled in the second run.

Hairston doubled, Austin Kidd had a sacrifice and Delawder singled for a run as Rock Hill tied the game in the second.

The Redmen took the lead for good in the third with three runs.

Morris reached on an error, Aaron Dalton walked and Hairston smacked a two-run double. Kidd singled for a run and the final run came home on a balk.

The Hornets made it 5-4 in the bottom of the frame without the aid of a hit.

Rigsby, Travis Carey and Joseph walked, Isaiah Gunther was hit by a pitch and Bare walked.

Rock Hill added two runs in the fourth on a double by Morris, a walk to Dalton and a pair of wild pitches.

The final two runs scored in the fifth.

Jonah Cox walked, stole second and was sacrificed to third by Delawder. Jack Goodwin walked, stole second and Morris had a two-run single.

Rock Hill 113 220 0 = 9 9 0

Coal Grove 202 000 0 = 4 2 4

Jonah Cox, Johnathan Joseph (3) and Austin Kidd. Jacob Pierce, Johnathan Joseph (5) and Jesse Rigsby. W-Joseph (IP-4.1, K-8, BB-0, H-0). Cox IP-2.2, K4, BB-5, HBP-4, H-2. L-Pierce (IP-4.2, K-6, BB-4, HBP-1, H-9). Joseph IP-2.1, K-2, BB-1. 2B-RH: Evan Morris, Jordan Hairston 2. Hitting-RH: Laden Delawder 2-3, Johnathan Joseph 1-4, Evan Morris 3-4 rbi-2, Jordan Hairston 2-4 rbi-2, Austin Kidd 1-4; CG: Cody Pennington 1-3, Jesse Rigsby 1-3.