Defensive lapses prove to be Pointers downfall
Published 1:13 am Saturday, April 20, 2019
Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com
SOUTH POINT — The game is about pitching, offense and defense.
The offense was OK and the pitching was very good. Now the defense, that was a little bit of a problem.
The South Point Pointers had four errors that helped the Gallipolis Blue Devils scored three unearned runs in a 4-3 Ohio Valley Conference win on Friday.
Smith went five innings, gave up three hits and no earned runs while striking out four and walking three. Brody Blackwell worked two innings and gave up one earned run while walking two.
“Drew Smith and Brody Blackwell combined to pitch very well, In fact, well enough to win. A few defensive lapses affected us greatly,” said Pointers’ coach Larry Goodwin.
Gallipolis got two runs in the first inning.
Brendan Carter doubled, went to third on a fly out and scored when Garrett McGuire reached on a two-out error.
McGuire went to second on the play and scored when Morgan Stanley was safe on an error.
The score remained that way until the Pointers took the lead with three runs in the fourth.
Brycen McCann beat out an infield hit and went to third on a hit by Nakian Dawson. On the throw back into the infield, McCann scored.
Zach Cline then singled to drive in Dawson.
Gallipolis got the tying and winning runs in the sixth.
Morgan Stanley was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Cade Roberts singled. Andrew Toler’s attempted sacrifice bunt was misplayed for an error to load the bases.
Trent Johnson hit into a 1-2-3 double play. Cole Davis walked to re-load the best and Dakota Young reached on an error as two runs scored.
Gallipolis 200 002 0 = 4 3 3
South Point 000 300 0 = 3 6 4
Zane Loveday and Morgan Stanley. Drew Smith, Brody Blackwell (6) and Drake McClure. W-Loveday (ER-3, K-7, BB-1, HBP-1). L-(Blackwell (IP-2.0, R-1, ER-1, BB-2). Smith (IP-5.0, H-3, R-3, ER-0, K-4, BB-3, HBP-2). Hitting-Gallia: Brendan Carter 1-3 2B, Garrett McGuire 1-4, Cade Roberts 1-4; SP: Brody Blackwell 1-3, Brycen McCann 2-3, Nakian Dawson 1-2 rbi, Zach Cline 1-2 rbi, Wyatt Napier 1-1 rbi.