Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — Now that is a first win to remember.
The young Chesapeake Panthers won their first win of the season as they stunned the Gallipolis Blue Devils 2-1 in eight innings on Wednesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
“We’re really young but we’re getting better every game,” said Panthers’ coach Justin Davis.
“For them to stay in the game for eight innings was big for them.”
Chesapeake (1-8, 1-5) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Trent Dearth singled, went to third on an error and scored on a hit by Travis Grimm.
Gallipolis (5-3, 2-2) left the bases loaded in the first inning but tied the game in the second when Cole Davis doubled home Trent Johnson who was hit by a pitch and advanced on an error.
Neither team scored again until the eighth.
Dearth led off the inning with a single, Thomas Sentz walked, Grimm sacrifice the runners up a base and Darth scored on a two-out passed ball.
Austin Browning — the team’s lone senior — went 1.2 scoreless innings for the win as he struck out two and walked one.
A.J. Litteral started for the Panthers and went 6.1 inning. He gave up only three hits, struck out two, walked two and four hit batters.
“That was a good effort for A.J. He had them out in front. Of his 85 pitches, 54 were strikes,” said Davis.
Zane Loveday went the distance for Gallipolis to take the loss. He struck out 12, walked one, gave up seven hits and both runs were unearned.
Chesapeake 100 000 01 = 2 7 4
Gallipolis 010 000 00 = 1 3 1
A.J. Litteral, Austin Browning (7) and Jonah Ridenour. Zane Loveday and Morgan Stanley. W-Browning (IP-1.2, K-2, BB-1). Litteral (IP-6.1, H-4, ER-1, K-2, BB-2, HBP-4). Hitting-Chesy: Trent Dearth 3-4, Grimm 1-2, Levi Best 1-3, Hayden Blankenship 1-3, Thomas Sentz 1-3; Gallia: Cole Davis 1-3 2B rbi, Andrew Toler 1-3, Garrett McGuire 1-3.