Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — It was another battle once again and the home team held serve once again.
Rock Hill won a 5-2 decision on Saturday and the Coal Grove Hornets rebounded with a 3-1 Ohio Valley Conference in on Monday as the two teams met twice in three days.
Coal Grove is now 7-3 and 52 in the OVC. Hornets’ coach Dean Mader said it was a critical win.
“That was a big win for us. Rock Hill has a good team and it was big for us to bounce back,” said Mader. “We capitalized a couple of time when we had opportunities and Chase (McKnight) threw well and Dylan (Malone) came in and closed.”
McKnight gave up three hits, struck out eight but walked eight, thus driving up his pitch count and forcing Malone to pitch the seventh.
Malone pitched a scoreless seventh with one strikeout and one walk.
Landon Smith went the distance for Rock Hill (6-3, 4-3). He struck out one, walked three and scattered nine hits.
“It was a good ball game. We got a lot of walks but we weren’t able to get the hit we needed,” said Rock Hill coach Barry Litteral.
“Landon pitched pretty well. We just couldn’t take advantage of anything Coal Grove gave us.”
The Redmen took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Logan Hankins walked with two outs and scored on a double by Kaleb Kidd.
Coal  Grove came back to score two in the bottom of the inning.
Jacob Clark doubled and scored on two passed balls.
Daniel Rutherford then singled, moved up on a passed ball, went to third when Jeb Jones singled and came home on a hit by Darin Bloomfield.
“Darin has been hitting the ball. He’s in a good groove,” said Mader.
The Hornets added an insurance run in the fifth when Clark singled and scored on double by Rutherford.
Malone came on in the seventh and Rock Hill loaded the bases. But Malone worked his way out of the jam as he struck out the final batter.
On Wednesday, Rock Hill visits Chesapeake and Coal Grove goes to Portsmouth.
Rock Hill    100    000    0    =    1    4    0
Coal Grove    200    010    x    =    3    9    0
Landon Smith and Kaleb Kidd. Chase McKnight, Dylan Malone (7) and Jeb Jones. W-McKnight (K-8, BB-8). Malone (IP-1.0, K-1, BB-1). L-Smith (K-1, BB-3). Hitting-RH: Kaleb Kidd 1-4 2B RBI, Landon Smith 1-3, Kyle Stanfield 1-1, Mason Darby 1-2; CG: Jacob Clark 2-2 2B, Daniel Rutherford 2-3 2B, Jeb Jones 1-2, Darin Bloomfield 2-3, Jordan Case 1-2, Evan Friend 1-3.