Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

GALLIPOLIS — The Fairland Dragons had to work a little longer for this win, but it was worth it.
Fairland stayed unbeaten in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 7-6 win over the Gallipolis Blue Devils in eight innings on Monday.
Fairland (8-3, 6-0) went up 2-0 in the first inning.
Gavin Hunt walked, Dacoda Chapman singled and both moved up on a passed ball. Hunt scored on another passed ball.
Tucker Adkins walked and Chapman scored on a stop-steal play.
Gallipolis got a run back in the second when Trent Johnson singled, went to second on a balk and scored on a hit by Morgan Stanley.
The Dragons scored a run in the top of the third to lead 3-1.
Brennan West walked, went to third on a pair of passed balls and scored on Reilly Sowards’ squeeze bunt.
But Gallipolis went up 4-3 in the bottom of the inning.
Brendan Carter singled and Cade Roberts reached on a missed third strike. Carter scored after two more passed balls.
Johnson walked, Andrew Toler squeezed a run home and Stanley singled in a run.
Fairland regained the lead with two runs in the fourth.
Garrett Looney walked and Kyle Rankin had an RBI double. Alex Rogers then singled in Rankin.
Gallipolis tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Wyatt Sipple singled stole second, took third on a ground out, and scored after Roberts walked and stole second.
The Blue Devils went up 6-5 with a run in the fifth.
With one out, Toler walked, stole second and scored on Zane Loveday’s base hit.
But Fairland tied the game in the top of the sixth when Rogers singled, West walked and Hunt had an RBI single.
The Dragons scored the winning run in the eighth with no outs.
West and Hunt singled and Chapman doubled for the RBI. Hunt was thrown out at home on the play.
Colton Roe walked and stole second with one out in the bottom of the eight, but Rogers retired the next two batters to end the game.
Rogers worked five innings of relief to get the win. He struck out 10, walked three and gave up only one hit.
Hunt went 3-4, Rogers 3-4 and Chapman 2-3 as Fairland got 10 hits.
Fairland 201 201 01 = 7 10 1
Gallipolis 013 110 00 = 6 7 1
Reilly Sowards, Alex Rogers (4) and Bryan Defoe. Zane Loveday, Cole Davis (6), Colton Roe (8) and Morgan Stanley. W-Rogers (IP-5.0, H-1, R-1, ER-1, K-10, BB-3). Sowards (IP-3.0, H-6, R-5, ER-1, K-3, BB-3). L-Davis (IP-1.1, H-5, R-1, ER-0, K-0, BB-1). Loveday (IP-5.2, H-5, R-6, ER-5, K-10, BB-6). Roe (IP-1.0). Hitting-FHS: Gavin Hunt 3-4 2-rbi, Dacoda Chapman 2-3 2B rbi, Kyle Rankin 1-3 2B rbi, Alex Rogers 3-4, Brennan West 1-2; Gallia: Wyatt Sipple 2-5 2B, Brendan Carter 1-5, Trent Johnson 1-3, Morgan Stanley 2-4 2-rbi, Zane Loveday 1-2 rbi.