Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — Now that’s a big inning.
Leading just 2-1 after six innings, the Coal Grove Hornets exploded for 17 runs in the seventh inning and beat the Fairland Dragons 19-2 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.
Coal Grove’s Sam Angelo and Fairland’s Dacoda Chapman were locked in a pitcher’s duel for six innings when the Hornets began to take advantage of the pitching-weary Dragons.
“The score doesn’t indicate what happened,” said Dragons’ coach Alex Beelen. “They scored 16 or 17 runs in the seventh inning because we ran out of pitching.
“We had several chances to score but we couldn’t get the key plays or hits to create runs. Dacoda (Chapman) pitched extremely well and executed the game plan. He just ran out of gas at the end.”
Coal Grove had 11 hits as Jeb Jones was 2-4 with two runs batted in, Zack Landers 2-4 with a double and three RBI, Ben Compliment 2-3 and three RBI, and Nate Harmon 2-5 with two RBI.
Darius Stapleton went 2-4 to lead Fairland’s eight-hit attack.
On Monday, Coal Grove hosts Gallipolis and Fairland visits Chesapeake.
Coal Grove 000 101 (17) = 19 11 0
Fairland 100 000 1 = 2 8 6
Sam Angelo, Tait Matney (7) and Jeb Jones. Dacoda Chapman, Tayton Hunt (7), Tucker Adkins (7), Bryan Defoe (7) and Eli Bowen. W-Angelo (IP-6.0, K-8, BB-4, R-1, ER-1, H-8). Matney (IP-1.0, K-0, BB-1, R-1, ER-1). Hitting-CG: Jordan Case 1-4 rbi, Sam Angelo 1-3 2-rbi, Jeb Jones 2-4 2-rbi, Darin Bloomfield 1-4 2-rbi, Ben Compliment 2-3 3-rbi, Zack Landers 2-4 2B 3-rbi, Nate Harmon 2-5 2-rbi; FHS: Jace Vonville 1-3, Eli Bowen 1-2, Darius Stapleton 2-4, Tucker Adkins 1-2, Kyle Rankin 1-3 rbi, Garrett Looney 1-3, Bryan Defoe 1-2.