CHESAPEAKE — If the Coal Grove Hornets 1992 baseball team decided to have a reunion to celebrate their last Ohio Valley Conference baseball championship, they’d have quite a memory to help celebrate.

The Hornets rallied late to tie the game and then scored twice in the eighth to edge the Chesapeake Panthers 3-1 Thursday and earned a share of the league title along with Gallipolis.

“It’s huge. We did a victory lap when we got back. This is big for our community. That’s the first championship we’ve won since the new structure of the OVC,” said Hornets’ head coach Dean Mader.

“It’s always your goals to win the league. Shared or not, a championship is a championship. We had the biggest school in eh conference and the smallest school share the championship.”

Daniel Rutherford pitched a four-hitter to help Coal Grove win its first title in 25 years. Rutherford struck out eight and walked two in going the distance.

The Hornets are now 13-6 overall and finish 10-4 in the OVC. Chesapeake’s Bryce Depriest matched Rutherford as he pitched a five-hitter. He struck out five and walked four, three intentionally.

The Panthers (9-11, 4-10) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning.

Wes Malavenda reached on an error and Kelton Jones was safe when his sacrifice bunt was misplayed. Casey McComas followed with an RBI double.

The game remained that way until Coal Grove tied it in the sixth.

Chase McKnight doubled and went to third on Jacob Clark’s fly out. Daniel Rutherford and Jeb Jones were intentionally walked to load the bases setting up Dylan Malone who hit a sacrifice fly.

The winning run scored in the top of the eighth with the help of a Chesapeake error.

Clark and Rutherford singled to start the inning. With one out, Malone was safe on a throwing error into the outfield allowing Clark to score. Rutherford went to third and scored when Darin Bloomfield hit into a fielder’s choice.

“The biggest thing for as well as Chesapeake played, our kids were very composed and they were confident they would find a way to win. That’s just maturity,” said Mader.

“This group has worked. They would play every month of the year if we could. And we’ve had a good group of fans who followed us and not just parents.”

Evan Burcham singled to start the Panthers’ eighth but Rutherford struck out the next three batters to end the game.

Despite the loss, Panthers’ coach Justin Davis was pleased with his team’s effort.

“We played well and we hit the ball but right at someone,” said Davis.

“It was a well-pitched game by two lefthanders. I’m proud of Bryce going toe-to-toe with the best pitcher in Southeast Ohio. I’m proud of all our guys. We played hard.”

Coal Grove plays at Piketon on Monday. Chesapeake hosts Portsmouth West on Saturday in a doubleheader.

 

Coal Grove    000    001    02    =    3    5    4
Chesapeake    001    000    00    =    1    4    3

Daniel Rutherford and Jeb Jones. Bryce Depriest and Dalton Nida. W-Rutherford (K-8, BB-2, ER-0). L-Depriest (K-5, BB-4, IBB-3, ER-1). Hitting-CG: Chase McKnight 1-4 2B, Jacob Clark 2-4, Daniel Rutherford 1-2, Nate Harmon 1-3, Dylan Malone RBI, Darin Bloomfield RBI; Chesy: Casey McComas 1-4 RBI, Evan Burcahm 1-4, Dalton Nida 1-4, Tyler Eddy 1-3.