Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — Now that’s how to start your senior season.
Senior Jeb Jones hit a home run on the first pitch he saw this season and then went on to pitch six strong innings as the Coal Grove Hornets beat the Fairview Eagles 9-2 on Tuesday.
Jones was 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and two runs batted in at the plate and struck out seven with one walked and only two hits during his six innings of work on the mound.
“Jeb definitely had good start to his senior year. He hit the ball well and threw well. He had three putouts so he fielded his position well,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader.
Coal Grove had 12 hits which pleased Mader.
“We hit the ball hard all night but right at people. There were a lot of balls a foot either way would be a hit. Their guys made nice plays. There wasn’t hardly an inning when we didn’t have someone on base,” said Mader.
Jones wasted no time in his first at-bat as he hit the first pitch offered on a line drive over the leftfield fence for a two-out solo home run.
The Hornets added a run in the fourth when Darin Bloomfield doubled, moved up on Zach Landers’ ground out and scored when Sam Angelo reached on an error.
The lead went to 3-0 in the fifth when Brady Doyle walked and Jones doubled.
After the Hornets gave up a run in the top of the sixth, they erupted for six runs in the bottom of the inning.
Angelo singled, moved to second on Nate Harmon’s ground out, Ben Compliment single and courtesy runner Cory Borders stole second.
Tate Matney grounded out as a run scored. Jordan Case singled in a run, stole second, Doyle walked, both moved up on a wild pitch and another wild pitch scored Case.
Jones walked and Bloomfield had an RBI single. After yet another wild pitch, courtesy runner Isaac Massie scored on Landers’ base hit and an outfield error allowed the final run to score.
Bloomfield also had a big game as the senior went 3-4 with a double and an RBI. Harmon was 1-3 with a double, Compliment and Matney were 1-3, Angelo 1-3 with an RBI and Landers 1-4 with two RBI.
Fairview (1-3) was led by George Jervis who went 2-3. Terrick Smith was 1-4 with an RBI and Dylan Wamsley 1-3.
Coal Grove hosts Rock Hill on Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
Fairview    000    001    1    =    2    4    2
Coal Grove    100    116    x    =    9    12    1
Terrick Smith, Preson Ledford (6), Bradon Wilburn (6) and Dylan Wamsley. Jeb Jones, Sam Angelo (7) and Ben Compliment. W-Jones (6-IP, 7-K, 1-BB, 2-H, 1-R). Angelo (1-IP, 2-H, 1-R, 3-K, 2-BB). L-Smith (5-IP, 7-H, 3-R, 3-ER, 5-K, 1-BB). Ledford (0.2-IP, 3-H, 1-BB, 3-R). Hitting-Fairview: Terrick Smith 1-4 RBI, Dylan Wamsley 1-3, George Jervis 2-3; CG: Jordan Case 2-4 RBI, Jeb Jones 2-3 HR 2B 2-RBI, Darin Bloomfield 3-4 2B RBI, Zach Landers 1-4 2-RBI, Sam Angelo 1-3 RBI, Nate Harmon 1-3 2B, Ben Compliment 1-3, Tate Matney 1-3.