Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — For the Rock Hill Redmen, it wasn’t about how many hits but how many runs.
But the hits were good, too.
Rock Hill only outhit the Ironton Fighting Tigers 10-9 but the Redmen bunched their hits as they posted a 10-3 Ohio Valley Conference win on Friday.
“We hit the ball well, got up early and held on. (Logan) Hankins and (Landon) Smith threw the ball well. We gave up some hits, but they only bunched some hits a couple of times,” said Redmen coach Barry Litteral.
“We came up with the clutch pitching when we needed it and we were able to keep them away from the big inning.”
Rock Hill (11-1, 9-1) had 10 hits led by Kaden France who was 3-3. Jake Blagg went 2-3 and Cody Lewis 2-4.
Hankins went 4.2 innings for the win. He struck out two, walked four and allowed one earned run. Smith finished up and struck out three and gave up two earned runs.
The Redmen got four runs in each of the first two innings.
Blagg walked, Seth Nichols singled, Lewis beat out a hit, Kaleb Kidd walked to force in a run, Hankins hit into a fielder’s choice for a run, France singled to score Kidd, Jaret Bacorn walked and Smith hit a sacrifice fly.
Ironton got a run in the top second when Tanner Bowles walked, Collin Freeman reached on an error, Cameron Deere walked and Ayden Barnes had an RBI single.
Blagg walked, stole second and Nichols had an RBI single. Lewis singled, France walked to load the bases, Bacorn was hit by a pitch and Smith had a two-run single.
Rock Hill got a run in the third when Blagg singled, stole second and scored on an error.
The Redmen got their final run in the fourth on a single by France, a walk to Smith and Blagg’s base hit.
Ironton scored two runs in the sixth on singles by Bowles, Ethan Duncan, Freeman and Bret Ashley.
Ironton had nine hits with Joel Blankenship 2-3.
On Monday, Ironton hosts Portsmouth and Rock Hill entertains South Point.
Ironton 010 002 0 = 3 9 1
Rock Hill 441 100 x = 10 10 2
Reid Carrico, Gage Salyers (2), Collin Freeman (4), Tanner Bowles (5) and Brycen Thomas. Logan Hankins (4.2), Landon Smith (5) and Kaleb Kidd. W-Hankins (IP-4.2, H-4, R-1, ER-1, K-2, BB-4). Smith (IP-2.1, R-2, ER-2, H-5, K-3, BB-0). L-Carrico. Hitting-Ironton: Joel Blankenship 2-3, Brycen Thomas 1-3, Tanner Bowles 1-4, Reid Carrico 1-2, Ethan Duncan 1-1, Collin Freeman 1-3, Bret Ashley 1-1, Ayden Barnes 1-3; RH: Jake Blagg 2-3, Seth Nichols 1-3, Cody Lewis 2-4, Kaden France 3-3, Landon Smith 1-3, Brayden Friend 1-4.