Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHESAPEAKE — The Coal Grove Hornets are beginning to solve the jigsaw puzzle.
The young Hornets are putting things together as they won their second straight with an 8-5 Ohio Valley Conference win over the Chesapeake Panthers on Monday.
“We’re starting to piece things together. We’ve playing better defensive and we. We came out a little flat. They faced some adversity and overcame that and walked away with a quality win,” said Hornets’ coach Blair Demetroules.
Each team scored twice in the first inning.
Xander Keaton and Tait Matney singled to start the game and a throwing error from the outfield to score a run. Connor Harrison singled to drive in Matney.
In the bottom of the inning, Jacob Daniels singled, Travis Grim and Hunter Evans walked to load the bases and Jonathan Brammer got a hit for two runs.
The Panthers went up 4-2 in the second.
Devin Stevens singled, Kaleb Stepp walked and Sentz singled for one run and a throwing error scored another.
The Hornets (3-10, 2-8) came back to tie the top of the third.
Keaton and Matney and Harrison all singled and Josh Vanover grounded out for a run. Dreyden Osborne then grounded out for an RBI.
The Panthers answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI ground out by Stevens.
The Hornets then took the lead for good with three runs in the fourth.
Hunter Staton was safe on an error, Landon Davis put down a sacrifice bunt and Wes Runyon singled for a run. Runyon went to second on the throw and Keaton had a hit. Matney singled for an RBI and Harrison grounded out to drive in Keaton.
The final run scored in the sixth when Osborne doubled, went to third on Skylar Shope’s ground out and came home on a passed ball.
Matney went the distance for the win. He struck out four, did not walk a batter and allowed just five hits.
“Tait settled in and pitched a sound game from the fourth inning on. He was in lockdown mode,” said Demetroules.
The Hornets host South Point on Wednesday.
Coal Grove 202 310 0 = 8 10 1
Chesapeake 221 000 0 = 5 5 4
Tait Matney and Jake Stevens. Jacob Daniels and Travis Grim. W-Matney (ER-4, K-9, BB-4). L-Daniels (ER-6, K-4, BB-0). Hitting-CG: Xander Keaton 4-4, Tait Matney 3-4, Connor Harrison 1-4, Dreyden Osborne 1-4, Wes Runyon 1-3; CHS: Thomas Sentz 1-3, Jacob Daniels 2-4, Hunter Evans 1-2, Devin Stevens 1-3.