By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — In the movie Big Jake, bad guy John Fain tells Jacob McCandles, “You came close mister, but no cigar.”

In the movie, John Wayne’s character Big Jake manages to “get the cigar” and win. But the Coal Grove Lady Hornets ended their movie with Fain’s quote.

Coal Grove built a 7-3 lead before the Portsmouth Lady Trojans kept climbing closer and closer. When it got to 7-6, the Lady Hornets said “no cigar” as they held on for the Ohio Valley Conference win on Wednesday.

Abbie Deeds got the complete game pitching win as she cut off the Lady Trojans a run short in the seventh inning. Deeds struck out 7, walked one, gave up 9 hits and only 4 of the runs were earned.

Coal Grove (5-6, 3-2) had 8 hits as Jordyn Dale went 2-3 with an RBI, Shay Collins 2-4 with a double and an RBI, Kassidy Travis 1-2 with a double, Rylee Black 1-4 with a double and 2 RBI, Ellie Delawder 1-4 with an RBI, and Deeds was also 1-4 with an RBI.

Katie Ankrom went 2-4 with a home run and 2 RBI to lead Portsmouth. Maddie Boren went 2-4 with a double, Sydney Johnson and Ayonna Carr were both 1-3, Kennedy Bowling 1-4 with an RBI and Madison Ankrom and Emily Cheatham were 1-4.

Coal Grove 110 032 0 = 7 8 5

Portsmouth 000 032 1 = 6 9 2

Abbie Deeds and Rylee Black. Katie Ankrom and Katie Born. W-Deeds (IP-7.0, H-9, R-6, ER-4, K-7, BB-1). L-Ankrom (IP-7.0, H-8, R-7, ER-6, K-5, BB-0, HBP-1). Hitting-CG: Jordyn Dale 2-3 RBI, Shay Collins 2-4 2B RBI, Abbie Deeds 1-4 RBI, Rylee Black 1-4 2B 2-RBI, Ellie Delawder 1-4 RBI, Kassidy Travis 1-2 2B; PHS: Emily Cheatham 1-4, Madison Ankrom 1-4, Maddie Boren 2-4 2B, Kennedy Bowling 1-4 RBI, Katie Ankrom 2-3 HR 2-RBI, Sydney Johnson 1-3, Ayonna Carr 1-3.