Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Smith might be one of the most common surnames in America, but there was nothing bland about the performance of Landon Smith on Friday.
Smith went 4-for-4 with a double and drove in four runs to back the two-hit pitching of Logan Hankins as the Rock Hill Redmen belted the Portsmouth Trojans 15-1 in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
Hankins struck out five and walked two in going the distance.
“We hit the ball well. Landon Smith had a big game. He cashed in on his opportunities,” said Rock Hill coach Barry Litteral.
“We turned two more double plays, so we played well defensively. Logan didn’t start well, but once he settled down he threw the ball well. We’re playing well as a group right now.”
Rock Hill (13-1, 11-1) had 14 hits as nine different players had hits.
Each team got a run in the first.
Cody Lewis was hit by a pitch, Kaleb Kidd was safe on an error and Hankins had an RBI double in the top of the inning.
Portsmouth tied the game in the bottom of the inning.
Bryce Wallace doubled, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out by Reece Johnson.
The Redmen went up 2-1 in the second when Jaret Bacorn reached on an error, stole second and Smith doubled him home.
In a two-run fourth, Hankins singled, stole second and scored on Smith’s base hit. Brayden Friend followed with a triple to score Smith.
Rock Hill got four runs in the fourth.
Lewis doubled, Hankins and Kaden France walked and Bacorn had a two-run single. The runners moved up on an error and Smith had a two-run single.
Jake Blagg singled to start the fifth, Seth Nichols walked, Lewis was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Kidd had a sacrifice fly.
The Redmen then scored six times in the seventh.
Hankins walked and came around to score on three wild pitches. France walked, Bacorn was hit by a pitch and Smith walked to load the bases.
Gavin Jenkins singled home two runs and Nick Blankenship singled home two more runs. Jordan Griffith and Hankins followed with RBI singles.
Rock Hill hosts Portsmouth on Monday and visits South Point Tuesday.
Rock Hill 110 241 6 = 15 14 1
Portsmouth 100 000 0 = 1 2 3
Logan Hankins and Kaleb Kidd. Zach Kinney, William Sturgill (6), Zach Bayse (7), Seth Porter (7), Hayden Yerardi (7) and Hayden Yerardi, William Sturgill (7). W-Hankins (K-5, BB-2, ER-1). L-Kinney. Hitting-RH: Jake Blagg 1-4 2B, Cody Lewis 1-2 2B, Nick Blankenship 1-1, Jordan Griffith 1-1, Logan Hankins 3-3 2-rbi, Jaret Bacorn 1-3, Landon Smith 3-3 2B 4-rbi, Brayden Friend 2-3 3B, Gavin Jenkins 1-1; PHS: Bryce Wallace 1-2 2B, Michael Duncan 1-2.