Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — The Rock Hill Redmen turned Hit Men.
Now, there was no mafia involved. Instead, the Redmen had 14 hits led by Logan Hankins as they downed the Portsmouth Trojans 18-8 in a five-inning Ohio Valley Conference game on Monday.
Hankins was 5-5 with a double, home run and six runs batted in.
Jake Blagg was 2-3, Kaleb Kidd 2-3 with a double and Seth Nichols 2-5 for the Redmen (10-3, 6-1).
“When you hit like we did tonight, this is the game you have to win,” said Rock Hill coach Barry Litteral.
Rock Hill went up 2-0 in the top of the first.
Blagg walked, stole second, Hankins singled and stole second and both scored on a hit by Kidd.
Portsmouth came back to get three runs in the bottom of the inning with the aid of three walks, an error, two wild pitches, a single by Caeleb McGraw and William Sturgill’s RBI double.
The Redmen came back to go up 4-3 in the top of the second.
With two outs, Blagg singled, stole second and scored when Nichols’ fly ball was dropped. Hankins singled to drive in Nichols.
The Trojans regained the lead on four walks, a ground out and a double by Drew Rowe.
Rock Hill took the lead for good with a seven-run rally in the third.
Nick Blankenship walked and Jordan Griffith walked. Braydon Friend had a sacrifice bunt, Blagg walked and Nichols had an RBI single.
Hankins doubled home two runs, Kidd doubled in Hankins, Kadin France reached on an error and Kidd scored on a wild pitch. Blankenship capped the rally with an RBI single.
The lead went to 14-8 in the fourth.
Nichols and Hankins singled, Kidd walked and France grounded out for a run.
Landon Smith walked, Blankenship squeeze home a run and Kidd came home on a wild pitch.
Rock Hill scored four runs in the fifth to create the run rule win.
Friend was safe on a dropped third strike, stole second and scored on Blagg’s base hit. Nichols reached on an error and Hankins belted a three-run homer to clear the bases.
Rock Hill 227 34 = 18 14 2
Portsmouth 332 00 = 8 4 4
Logan Hankins, Nick Blankenship and Kaleb Kidd. Ethan Boggs, Jack Workman (3), Hayden Yeradi (5) and Caeleb McGraw. W-Blankenship (IP-2.2, BB-2, K-1, H-0). Hankins (IP-2.1, R-8, H-4, ER-4, BB-7, K-5). L-Boggs (IP-2.2). Workman (IP-1.1). Yeradi (IP-1.0). Hitting-RH: Jake Blagg 2-3, Seth Nichols 2-5, Logan Hankins 5-5 HR 2-2B 6-rbi, Kaleb Kidd 2-3 2B, Kadin France 1-3, Nick Blankenship 1-2, Jordan Griffith 1-3; PHS: Caeleb McGraw 1-2, William Sturgill 1-3 2B, Drew Rowe 2-2 2B.