Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — Step by step, little by little, the Rock Hill Redmen just kept coming.
After falling behind 9-1, the Redmen kept inching their way back into the game and then overtook Fairview as Rock Hill beat the Eagles 17-10 on Thursday.
“The kids battled. We were down 9-1 and came back and made it 9-6 and kept chipping away and then we scored a bunch in the fourth and fifth,” said Rock Hill coach Barry Litteral.
The Redmen (2-0) banged out 16 hits led by Cody Lewis who was 5-6 with a double and five runs batted in.
Jake Blagg was 3-4 with five runs scored, Mason Darby 3-5 with a double and Kyle Stanfield went 2-3.
Fairview pitchers walked 12 batters and hit two to go along with three errors.
Brett Johnson was 2-3 with a grand slam home run to lead Fairview (0-8).
Fairview got three runs in the first and six in the second that was highlighted by Johnson’s grand slam.
Down 9-1, Rock Hill scored five runs in the bottom of the second to trail 9-6.
Darby doubled, Blagg walked and Lewis doubled them home. Logan Hankins walked and came around to score on a wild pickoff throw that sailed down the right field foul line.
Kaleb Kidd walked and later scored on a hit by Kyle Stanfield.
Rock Hill got two runs in the third inning to trail 9-8 and took the lead for good with four runs in the fourth.
Seth Nichols and Blagg walked in the fourth and scored on a hit by Lewis to key the rally.
Rock Hill added five runs in the fifth highlighted by a walk, a hit batsman and RBI singles by Lewis, Kidd and Nichols.
“Everyone contributed in the fifth inning,” said Litteral.
Nick Blankenship came on in the fifth inning and got the win for Rock Hill.
“Blankenship did a good job. He threw strikes and made them put it in play and we fielded it,” said Litteral.
Rock Hill was supposed to host Coal Grove on Friday.
Fairview    360    001    0    =    10    7    3
Rick Hill    152    450    x    =    17    16    1
Brett Johnson, Zach Keesee (6) and Jonathan Ruggles. Jaret Bacorn, Seth Nichols (2), Logan Hankins (2), Jake Blagg (5), Nick Blankenship (5) and Kaleb Kidd. W- Hankins. Save-Blankenship. L-Johnson. Hitting-Fairview: Bobby Miller 1-2 3B, Preston Ledford 1-2, Trevor Hutchinson 1-3 2B, Jonathan Ruggles 1-3 2B, Brett Johnson 2-3 GS, Mark Ekers 1-3; RH: Jake Blagg 3-4 R-5, Cody Lewis 5-6 2B, Kaleb Kidd 1-2 sac, Kyle Stanfield 2-3, Jaret Bacorn 1-3, Kaden France 1-5, Mason Darby 3-5 2B.