Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

MINFORD — It was a day of good news and bad news.

First the bad news. The Coal Grove Hornets lost a tough 5-4 decision to the Minford Falcons.

Now the good news. The Hornets got revenge in the second game with a 6-3 win.

Coal Grove fell behind 5-0 in the first game. The Hornets rallied with four runs in the fifth inning but the comeback fell just short.

Despite the loss, Hornets’ coach Dean Mader was pleased with the pitching effort of freshman Chase McKnight.

“Chase threw well. They didn’t hit him hard and Minford is a pretty good ball club. “That’s a pretty good effort for a freshman,” said Mader.

Minford scored three runs in the fourth inning — two were unearned — to get the win.

In the Hornets’ fifth, McKnight, Conor Markins and Mason Nance all singled to load the bases and Jacob Clark had a three-run double.

A throwing error allowed Clark to reach third base and he scored on a hit by Travis Carey.

In the second game, Coal Grove took a 1-0 lead in the first when D.J. Miller walked, stole second and scored on a hit by Markins.

The lead went to 2-0 in the second when Carey singled, took second a wild itch and came home on Clark’s hit.

Two more runs scored in the third to make it 4-0.

Rigsby walked, Markins singled and Rutherford singled home courtesy runner Jacob Myers. The other runners moved up on an error and Carey hit a sacrifice fly.

Coal Grove got two more runs in the fourth.

Luke McGraw walked and Jacob Clark reached on an error. Miller hit a fly ball to advance the runners. Nance then hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch-runner Paul Richardson and Rigsby was safe on an error as the second run scored.

Miller got the win as he pitched a five-hitter.

“D.J. did a good job. He hasn’t pitched since he was a sophomore and he got a little tired, but he gutted it out,” said Mader. “Our outfield did a nice job. They caught nine the outs.”

Coal Grove hosts Fairland on Monday.

 

First Game

Coal Grove 000 040 0 = 4 5 3

Minford 200 300 x = 5 4 1

Chase McKnight and Jesse Rigsby. Shockley and J. Alley. W-Shockley (K-7, BB-0). L-McKnight (K-3, BB-5, ER-3). Hitting-CG: Travis Carey 1-3 rbi, Chase McKnight 1-2, Conor Markins 1-2, Mason Nance 1-2, Jacob Clark 1-2 rbi-3; Minford: Tolle 1-, Smith 1-3, A. Alley 1-3, McCaleb 1-3. 2B-CG: Jacob Clark; Minford: Tolle.

Second Game

Coal Grove 112 200 0 = 6 5 1

Minford 000 210 0 = 3 5 4

D.J. Miller and Jesse Rigsby. Powell, Joyce (4) and J. Alley. W-Miller (K-1, BB-6). L-Powell (K-4, BB-3). Hitting-CG: Conor Markins 2-3, Daniel Rutherford 1-3, Travis Carey 1-1, Jacob Clark 1-2; Minford: Joyce 1-2, Smith 2-2, A. Alley 1-3, Stringer 1-3. HR-Minford: Smith.