Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

COAL GROVE — Jesse Rigsby mixed it up and his defense ate it up.

Rigsby pitched a six-hitter as the Coal Grove Hornets edged the Rock Hill Redmen 3-2 Tuesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Rigby only struck out three as his defense played well behind him.

“We played one of our better games. We hit the ball well and we fielded the ball well. It was a nice way to finish up (at home),” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader.

“Rock Hill is a good hitting team, so Rigsby did a good job mixing up his pitches.”

Coal Grove (10-6, 5-4) had 12 hits. D.J. Miller was 2-2, Daniel Rutherford and Jacob Clark 2-3 and Conor Markins and Rigsby were 2-4.

Rock Hill took a 1-0 lead in the second. Corey Noel and Brandon Schob singled to put runners on the corners and a wild pitch scored the run.

Coal Grove took the lead with two runs in the third on singles by Rutherford, Rigsby, Markins and Travis Carey.

Coal Grove got what proved to be the winning run in the fourth on singles by Luke McGraw, Clark and Rutherford.

Rock Hill managed a run in the sixth when Jordan Hairston beat out an infield hit, went to second on an error, took third on a ground out and scored on a passed ball.

Jonathan Joseph — who took the pitching loss — went 2-4 at the plate for the Redmen (11-6).

Rock Hill 010 001 0 = 2 6 0

Coal Grove 002 100 x = 3 12 2

Jonathan Joseph and Jordan Hairston. Jesse Rigsby and Jacob Clark. W-Rigsby (K-3, BB-3, HBP-1). L-Joseph (K-4, BB-2, HBP-1). Hitting-RH: Jonathan Joseph 2-4, Jordan Hairston 1-4, Corey Noel 1-3, Brandon Schob 1-3, Drew McClaskey 1-3; CG: Rutherford 2-3, Jesse Rigsby 2-4, Conor Markins 2-4, Travis Carey 1-4, D.J. Miller 2-2, Luke McGraw 1-3, Jacob Clark 2-3. 2B-RH: Jonathan Joseph; CG: Jesse Rigsby.