Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

COAL GROVE — It’s the right mix of young and old.

The Coal Grove Lady Hornets were able to mix four senior returning starters with five freshmen to beat the Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers 6-0 and 7-3 in a doubleheader on Tuesday.

“As a coach with so many young players, you just don’t know how they will respond,” said Lady Hornets’ Mitch Crum. “But with four seniors as returning starters it has helped our younger kids.”

Freshman Kasey Murphy got the pitching win in both games and is now 3-0 on the season. She worked 4.2 innings in each game. She allowed just two hits in the first game and five in the second game.

Murphy struck out two and walked one in the first game and then struck out five and walked two in the second game.

Deanna Bentley was 2-for-3 with a run batted in to lead Coal Grove’s seven-hit attack in the first game.

The Lady Hornets had 10 hits in the nightcap with Leah Crum going 3-3 with a double and three RBIs. Lauren Meyer was 2-3 while Murphy and Racheal Webb had two RBIs.

In the first game, Coal Grove scored two in the second inning.

Mckenzie Moore reached on an error, Gracie Riley walked and Khylee Keaton had a two-run single.

The Lady Hornets put the game away with four runs in the fourth inning.

Riley singled, Keaton reached on an error, Webb singled and Brook Blakeman lined a two-run double down the left field line.

Bentley singled in a run and Murphy grounded out to drive in the final run.

Clay (1-2) scored three runs in the first inning of the second game.

Cami Whitley was hit by a pitch, stole second and Rachael Cooper singled. Danielle Cline reach on an error and Gabby Hickman was safe on an error as two runs scored.

But the Lady Hornets answered with five runs in their half of the inning.

Lauren Meyer had a bunt single and stole second. Bentley singled and Murphy reached on an error as a run scored.

Leah Crum delivered a two-run single. Riley singled and Webb had a two-run single.

“I was very proud of the way the kids responded after giving up three runs in the first inning,” said coach Crum. “Defensively it wasn’t a great start, but we responded great. I’m just so proud of these kids.”

Coal Grove got a run in the second on hits by Murphy and Crum.

The final run scored in the fourth as Meyer singled, Bentley sacrificed her to third base and she scored on Murphy’s ground out.

First Game

Ports. Clay 000 00 = 0 2 2

Coal Grove 020 4x = 6 7 0

WP-Kasey Murphy (IP 4.2, K-2, BB-1, H-2). LP-Danielle Cline (IP-4, K-3, BB-1, H-7). Hitting–Clay: Cami Whitley 1-1, Danielle Cline 1-2 2B; CG: Deanna Bentley 2-3 rbi, Kasey Murphy 1-2 rbi, Gracie Riley 1-1, Khylee Keaton 1-2 rbi-2, Brook Blakeman 1-2 rbi-2 2B.

Second Game

Ports. Clay 300 00 = 3 5 2

Coal Grove 510 1x = 7 10 4

WP-Kasey Murphy (IP-4.2, K-5, BB-2, H-5, ER-1). LP-Gabby Hickman (IP-4, K-1, BB-2, H-10, ER-3). Hitting-Clay: Rachael Cooper 3-3 rbi, Rylie Gerwig 1-1, Hunter Adams 1-2, Gabby Hickman rbi; CG: Lauren Meyer 2-3, Deanna Bentley 1-2, Kasey Murphy 1-3 rbi-2, Leah Crum 3-3 rbi-3 2B, Mckenzie Moore 1-3, Gracie Riley 1-2, Racheal Webb 1-1 rbi-2.