Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — Sometimes “one” can be the biggest number.
One bad inning proved to be the biggest number and the biggest problem for the South Point Pointers in a 6-5 loss to the Greenup County Musketeers on Tuesday.
Drew Smith took the loss despite giving up only one earned run. He struck out two and walked two while allowing eight hits.
“Drew Smith pitched a good game by allowing only one earned run. The one bad inning really hurt us. I saw some good things offensively which was very encouraging moving forward,” said Pointers’ coach Larry Goodwin.
South Point (1-1) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Smith singled, stole second and third and scored on a wild pitch. Brody Blackwell was hit by a pitch, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Drake McClure’s sacrifice fly.
Greenup got a run back in the top of the third when London Conley singled and Ashton Lacey doubled.
But the Pointers got two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Zach Cline walked, stole second and scored on a hit by Brycen McCann. McClure’s two-out double scored McCann.
The Musketeers took a 5-4 lead with four runs in the fourth.
Griffin Keaton doubled and scored when Carson Wireman reached on an error. Zane Carter was safe on an error, Logan Bays walked and Cameron Carroll’s ground out scored a run.
Conley was hit by a pitch and Jordan Bays had a two-run double.
Greenup got what proved to be the winning run in the top of the seventh when Lacey doubled, moved up on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly by Keeton.
The Pointers got a run in the bottom of the inning on a hit by Smith, walks to McCann and Brody Blackwell and an error.
But the next three batters were retired to end the game.
Smith was 2-3 as the Pointers had just five hits.
Greenup 001 400 1 = 6 8 1
South Point 202 000 1 = 5 5 4
Logan Bays, Jordan Bays (4) and xxx. Drew Smith and Drake McClure. W-J. Bays (IP-4.0, H-2, R-1, ER-1, K-6, BB-3). L. Bays (IP-3.0, H-3, R-4, ER-4, K-1, BB-3). L-Smith (ER-1, K-2, BB-2). Hitting-GC: London Conley 1-2, Jordan Bays 1-2 2B 2-rbi, Ashton Lacey 2-4 2B, Griffin Keeton 2-2 2B rbi, Carson Wireman 1-4, Zane Carter 1-4; SP: Drew Smith 2-3, Brycen McCann 1-2 rbi, Drake McClure 1-3 2B 2-rbi, Ben Walls 1-4.