Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — Baseball home run hitting great Hank Aaron was known as Hammerin’ Hank.
The Coal Grove Hornets have their own version with Hammerin’ Harmon.
Nate Harmon hit two more home runs on Thursday giving him five on the season and the Hornets beat the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans 9-5.
“Harmon is really hitting the ball well right now. He’s seeing the ball well and he’s connecting,” said Hornets’ coach Blair Demetroulos.
Harmon was 2-2 with four runs batted in to back the pitching of Evan Gannon and Ben Compliment.
Gannon went five innings for the win and Compliment finished up.
“Gannon had a little trouble early but got settled in and threw a really fine game. Compliment came in and gave us a couple of good innings,” said Demetroulos.
Coal Grove took a 3-0 lead in the first inning when Christian Workman reached on an error Kyle Sites walked and Harmon unloaded a three-run shot.
The Titans got three runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game, but the Hornets went back in front with two runs in the second.
Gannon walked, Cory Borders was hit by a pitch and Compliment tripled to score Gannon and pinch-runner Trey Hunt.
The Titans tied the game again with two runs in the bottom of the second, but Harmon gave the Hornets the lead for good a with a solo home run leading off the third inning.
Coal Grove added three insurance runs in the fourth inning.
Workman walked, stole second and third and scored on Sites’ base hit. Harmon walked and they pulled off a double steal and they scored on Tait Matney’s double.
Compliment went 2-4 and and Matney 2-3.
Coal Grove 321 300 0 = 9 7 3
Notre Dame 320 000 0 = 5 6 2
Evan Gannon, Ben Compliment (6) and Ben Compliment, Kyle Sites (6). Jack Mcguire, Matt Boldman (4) and Ethan Kammer. W-Gannon (IP-5.0, H-6, R-5, ER-3, K-3, BB-6). Compliment (IP-2.0, K-2, BB-1). L-McGuire. Hitting-CG: Ben Compliment 2-4 3B 2-rbi, Kyle Sites 1-3, Nate Harmon 2-2 2-HR 4-rbi, Tait Matney 2-3; PND: Ethan Kammer 1-2, Caleb Nichols 1-4, Matt Boldman 2-4, Tucker Hermann 2-3.