Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — It was a game of missed opportunities.
The Coal Grove Hornets couldn’t get the key hit and the Portsmouth Trojans squeezed home the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to get a 3-2 Ohio Valley Conference win on Saturday.
“Jeb (Jones) threw pretty well. He located well and got his curveball over. We played the best we have all week and we had our chances but didn’t capitalize. We had guys on and couldn’t get them in when we needed,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader.
Jones gave up eight hits, struck out six, walked three and all three runs were earned in taking the loss.
Zach Kinney got the win as he allowed five hits, struck out seven, walked three and both runs were unearned.
Coal Grove took the lead with a run in the first inning.
Jordan Case reached on an error, Jones singled and a throwing error allowed Case to score.
The Hornets went up 2-0 in the top of the fourth when Nate Harmon singled, moved up on an error and Evan Gannon had an RBI single.
The Trojans got a run in the bottom of the inning. Isaac Kelly walked, Jackson singled and Kelly scored on a passed ball.
Portsmouth tied the game in the fifth when Bryce Wallace singled, stole second, took third on a passed ball and Reece Johnson singled.
In the bottom of the seventh, Zach Bayse walked, Wallace singled and William Sturgill grounded out to send the runner to third base.
Johnson then put down a squeeze bunt and the runner managed to elude the tag for the winning run.
“It was a bang-bang play at home,” said Mader.
Jones was 2-3 with an RBI and Bloomfield also went 2-3.
Johnson was 3-4 with two RBI and Wallace 2-4 to lead Portsmouth.
Coal Grove hosts Gallipolis on Monday.
Coal Grove 100 100 0 = 2 5 1
Portsmouth 000 110 1 = 3 8 3
Jeb Jones and Ben Compliment. Zach Kinney and Hayden Yerardi. W-Kinney (K-7, BB-3, ER-0). L-Jones (K-6, BB-3, ER-3). Hitting-CG: Jeb Jones 2-3 rbi, Darin Bloomfield 2-3, Nate Harmon 1-3, Evan Gannon 1-2 rbi; PHS: Bryce Wallace 2-4, Reece Johnson 3-4 2-rbi, Devin Jackson 1-3, Zach Kinney 1-2 2B, Michael Duncan 1-3.