Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — Kasey Murphy was on top of her game, and that put the Coal Grove Lady Hornets on top.
Murphy pitched a five-hitter and the Lady Hornets parlayed nine hits and five Rock Hill errors for an 8-3 Ohio Valley Conference win over the Redwomen on Thursday.
“We have to do a better job of being aggressive at the plate,” said Rock Hill first-year coach Brooke Long. “Coal Grove was the better team tonight. They came to play.”
Murphy went the distance and struck out 11 with just one walk to get the win.
Rock Hill’s Jill Hairston struck out six and walked two in suffering the loss.
However, Hairston racked up her 300th career strikeout as the senior pitched the complete game.
Rock Hill (1-2, 0-1) have five hits with Grace Stevens going 2-4 with a double and a run batted in.
Hairston was 1-4 with a double, Tori Pancake 1-3 and Taylor Hall was 1-4.
The Lady Hornets (2-2, 1-0) got two runs in each of the second and third innings to lead 4-0.
Rock Hill got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth but Coal Grove scored four times in the top of the sixth to open up an 8-2 lead.
Coal Grove travels to Portsmouth West for a doubleheader at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Rock Hill visits Chesapeake on Monday.
Coal Grove    022    004    0    =    8    9    4
Rock Hill    000    021    0    =    3    5    5
Kasey Murphy and Lauren Crum. Jill Hairston and Grace Stevens. W-Murphy (K-11, BB-1). L-Hairston (K-6, BB-2). Hitting-RH: Grace Stevens 2-4 RBI 2B, Jill Hairston 1-4 2B, Taylor Hall 1-4, Tori Pancake 1-3.