Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Down but far from out.
The Coal Grove Hornets trailed most of the game but rallied for a 9-6 win over the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans on Tuesday.
“Twice tonight we were down and came back. That shows a lot about our kids. We didn’t play our best game but we still played hard and battled,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader.
Notre Dame took a 3-0 lead after two innings but Coal Grove tied the game in the top of the fourth.
Jeb Jones and Ben Compliment walked and pulled off a double steal. Jones scored on a balk, Zack Landers walked and Nate Harmon had an RBI single.
On another double steal attempt Landers scored.
Notre Dame got three runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 6-3, but the Hornets came back to score four runs in the sixth to take a 7-6 lead.
Evan Gannon singled, Harmon doubled and Tait Matney walked. Jordan Case singled for a run, Sam Angelo was hit by a pitch to force in a run, Jones singled for a run and Darin Bloomfield hit a sacrifice fly.
The Hornets added two insurance runs in the seventh.
Gannon singled and Landers reached on an error to put runners at second and third. Harmon grounded out for a run and Matney hit a sacrifice fly.
Harmon went 3-4 with a double and two runs batted in while Gannon was 2-4 as the Hornets had seven hits.
Matney got the win with three innings of relief. He struck out three, walked three and gave up one hit and no runs.
“Jeb Jones didn’t throw bad and then Matney came in and threw well. We played well defensively at the end,” said Mader.
Coal Grove hosts Fairland on Wednesday.
Coal Grove    000    304    2    =    9    7    3
Notre Dame    120    300    0    =    6    8    5
Jeb Jones, Tait Matney and Ben Compliment, Jeb Jones (5). C.J. Corn, Schmidt (2), Seth Nichols (4), Tyler Speas (7) and Ethan Kammer. W-Matney (IP-3.0, H-1, K-3, BB-3, 0-ER). Jones (IP-4.0, H-7, R-6, ER-3, K-10, BB-4). L- Nichols. Hitting-CG: Jordan Case 1-5 rbi, Jeb Jones 1-2 rbi, Evan Gannon 2-4, Nate Harmon 3-4 2B 2-rbi; PND: C.J. Corns 2-4, Seth Nichols 1-4 2-rbi, Tyler Speas 3-4 rbi, Ethan Kammer 1-2 rbi, Schmidt 1-4 2-rbi.