Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PEDRO — That clicking noise isn’t a knock in the engine. It’s music to coach Mary Jane Harper’s ears.

Clicking on all cylinders, the Rock Hill Redwomen beat the Fairland Lady Dragons 9-3 on Monday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

“We had everything working for us. We hit the ball well, we played good defense, and we got good pitching. Sami didn’t walk anybody and that really helps,” said Harper.

The good pitching came from Sami Nixon who struck out 11 and walked only one.

While the defense had just one error, the offense had 12 hits with Brooke Hanshaw going 3-4 with two doubles and Kenzi Martin slugging a home run. Brook Eastham was 2-3 and Jenna Lane 2-4 for the Redwomen (7-0, 4-0).

Fairland (2-4, 2-2) was led by Haley Woodall who was 3-4 and Chelsea Stanley who went 2-3.

Rock Hill took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Lane singled, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Eastham’s double.

Fairland tied the game in the top of the third inning. Molly Morris singled, went to second on a wild pith and Woodall delivered an RBI single.

The Redwomen took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Lane single, Eastham had a sacrifice and Kenzi Harrah doubled in the run. Martin followed with a long two-run homer.

Fairland got within 4-3 in the top of the fifth.

Madison Kazee reached on a missed third strike, went to second on a passed ball and took third on a wild pitch. Chandler Fulks then had an RBI single. Woodall and Stanley followed with hits to produce the final run.

But Rock Hill answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning.

Eastham and Brooke Hanshaw singled and Martin reached on an error to load the bases. Kaelynn Ellis was hit by a pitch to force home courtesy runner Emmalee Ellis.

Harrah hit a ground ball and Hanshaw scored ahead of the throw home. The throw got away from the catcher and another run scored. Riann Keating’s RBI single capped the rally.

Fairland 001 020 0 = 3 8 3

Rock Hill 103 050 x = 9 12 1

Chandler Fulks, Allison Sheppard (5) and Chloe Stanley. Sami Nixon and Brooke Eastham. W-Nixon (K-11, BB-1). L-Fulks (K-3, BB-0). Sheppard K-1, BB-1. 2B-RH: Brooke Hanshaw 2, Kenzi Harrah. HR-RH: Kenzi Martin. Hitting-Fairland: Molly Morris 1-4, Chandler Fulks 1-3, Haley Woodall 3-4, Chelsea Stanley 2-3, Tiffani Christian 1-1; Rock Hill: Jenna Lane 2-4, Brooke Eastham 2-3, Brooke Hanshaw 3-4, Kenzi Martin 1-3, Kenzi Harrah 1-4, Sami Dillon 1-3, Riann Keating 1-3, Sami Nixon 1-3.