Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — Tait Matney was thrown into emergency service and he performed like an EMT.
But Matney wasn’t able to save the Coal Grove Hornets who lost 3-2 to the Gallipolis Blue Devils in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Thursday.
Matney came into the game with two outs in the first inning when starter Sam Angelo was bothered by a rib injury. He gave up just three hits and two runs in 5.1 innings.
“We were down three starters and had to move some people around. But for a freshman (Tait Matney) to come in and hold a team to three hits is pretty good,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader.
“We didn’t hit really well, but we played pretty well overall. It was a good effort.”
Coal Grove scored a run in the top of the first when Jordan Case singled, stole second, went to third on Angelo’s hit and scored when Darin Bloomfield reached on an error.
Gallipolis tied the game in the bottom of the inning.
Cole Davis was safe on an error Braden Simms put down a sacrifice and Morgan Stanley doubled.
The lead went to 2-1 in the second on three walks and a wild pitch.
The Blue Devils got what proved to be the winning run in the third when Josh Faro walked and Matt Moreaux and Wyatt Sipple singled.
Coal Grove got its other run in the fourth on singles by Angelo, Ben Compliment and Cory Borders.
Angelo and Border went 2-3 as the Hornets got six hits.
Coal Grove visits Chesapeake on Friday.
Coal Grove 100 100 0 = 2 6 1
Gallipolis 111 000 x = 3 3 1
Sam Angelo, Tait Matney (1) and Ben Compliment. Kaden Thomas and Morgan Stanley. W-Thomas (K-10, BB-0, ER-1). L-Matney (IP-5.1, H-3, R-2, ER-2, K-3, BB-5). Angelo (IP-0.2, R-1, ER-0). Hitting-CG: Jordan Case 1-3, Sam Angelo 2-3, Ben Compliment 1-3, Cory Borders 2-3 rbi; Gallia: Morgan Stanley 1-3 2B, Mat Moreauz 1-3, Wyatt Sipple 1-1 rbi.