Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

McDERMOTT — Better late than never.
Trailing 3-2 after three innings, the South Point Pointers erupted for 12 runs over the final three innings as they routed the Northwest Mohawks 14-5 on Monday in the season opener.
Douglas Shaffer went 3-5 with a run batted in, Drake McClure was 3-4 with a double and two RBI, Travis Dillon 3-3 with two doubles and an RBI and Ben Walls 2-4 with an RBI to lead a 14-hit attack.
Jonathan Henline went five innings for the win as he struck out 13, walked three and gave up three hits. Shaffer finished and struck out four with one walk and one hit.
“We started off slow offensively. Our hitters remained patient and started to get into advantage counts and began hitting the ball with more authority,” said Pointers’ coach Larry Goodwin.
“Henline and Shaffer pitched well and combined for 17 strikeouts. We need to improve on getting ahead of the hitters and not working from behind in the count so much.”
The Pointers got a run in the first when Henline was hit by a pitch, Dillon walked and McClure singled.
Northwest scored three runs in the second and the Pointers got a run back in the third on an RBI single by Walls after walks to Henline and Dillon.
South Point took a 5-3 lead in the top of the fifth when Dillon singled, McClure was hit by a pitch, Walls singled and a Northwest error.
The Mohawks tied the game in the bottom of the inning but the Pointers rallied for seven runs in the sixth to lead 12-5.
Shaffer singled and Dillon had an RBI double. McClure singled, Walls reached on an error, Drew Smith and Brycen McCann were hit by pitches, Brody Blackwell had a two-run double and Shaffer got his second hit of the inning.
The final two runs came across in the seventh on doubles by Dillon and McClure  and Smith’s RBI ground out.
South Point hosts River Valley on Thursday.
South Point    101    037    2    =    14    14    3
Northwest    030    020    0    =    5    4    4
Jonathan Henline, Douglas Shaffer (6) and Drake McClure. Hall, Hyland (5), Hicks (7) and Hunter Berry. WP-Henline (13-K, 3-BB, 5-R, 0-ER, 3-H). Shaffer (IP-2, 4-K, 1-BB, 1-H). LP-Hall. Hitting-SP: Brody Blackwell 1-5 2B RBI-2, Douglas Shaffer 3-5 RBI, Travis Dillon 3-3 2-2B RBI, Drake McClure 3-4 2B 2-RBI, Ben Walls 2-4 RBI, Drew Smith 1-4 RBI, Brendon Dillon 1-2 RBI; NW: Gillettte 1-1 RBI, J. Goodson 1-3 RBI, Hunter Berry 1-4 RBI, Kaden Zumbro 1-3.