Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

It was all about the strike zone.
Coal Grove pitcher Jeb Jones threw strikes and his teammates hit strikes as the Hornets beat the St. Joseph Flyers 12-6 on Thursday.
Jones threw 88 pitches — 63 for strikes — he struck out five and walked none in pitching a six-hit complete game.
The Hornets had 11 hits led by Dylan Malone who was 3-5 with two doubles and four runs batted in. Chase McKnight was 2-5 with a double and two RBI and Daniel Rutherford 3-5 with two triples.
“Jones threw the ball well. He started mixing up his pitches and that helped him. St. Joe swings the bat pretty well,” said Hornets’ coach Dean Mader.
“Our pitch selection was better. We weren’t chasing balls out of the zone. We’ve been better at that lately.”
St. Joseph was led by Isaac Whaley who went 2-4 with two doubles and Andrew Lawson who was 1-3 with two RBI.
Coal Grove (9-3) took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first.
Jacob Clark walked, stole second and Rutherford singled him home. Jones walked and after a double steal Malone doubled them home. Jordan Case then had an RBI single.
The Flyers answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
Gage Butler singled, Peyton Adkins reached when his sacrifice bunt was misplayed and Butler scored.
Zac McGraw was safe on a fielder’s choice and Isaac Whaley doubled. Lawson then singled them home.
The Hornets came back with four runs in the third.
Malone singled, Darin Bloomfield reached on an error, they pulled off a double steal and Case grounded out for a run. Bloomfield stole third, Nate Harmon and Evan Friend walked and McKnight doubled in two runs.
An error on the play scored the fourth run.
Coal Grove got three runs in the top of the sixth.
Rutherford tripled, Jones walked and Malone doubled in a run. A throwing error scored Jones.
Malone stole third, Bloomfield walked and Case was safe on an error as the run scored.
St. Joseph got a run in the bottom of the inning when Whaley doubled, Lawson was hit by a pitch and Chase Wilds had an RBI single.
The Hornets got the run back in the seventh when Rutherford tripled and Jones was safe on an error.
The Flyers didn’t quit and came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
With two outs, McGraw reached on an error and Walters doubled. Whaley was safe on an error allowing both runners to score.
St. Joseph hosts Raceland at 10 a.m. Saturday and Coal Grove entertains Ironton on Friday.
Coal Grove    404    003    1    =    12    11    7
St. Joseph    300    001    2    =    6    6    5
Jeb Jones and Jacob Clark. Chase Wilds, Isaac Whaley (1), Chase Walters (3) and Zack McGraw. W-Jones (K-5, BB-0, HBP-1, ER-1). L-Wilds. Hitting-CG: Chase McKnight 2-5 2B 2-RBI, Daniel Rutherford 3-5 2-3B, Jeb Jones 1-3, Dylan Malone 3-5 2-2B 4-RBI, Darin Bloomfield 1-3, Jordan Case 1-4 3-RBI; SJ: Gage Butler 1-4, Chase Walters 1-4 2B, Isaac Whaley 2-4 2-2B, Andrew Lawson 1-3 2-RBI, Chase Wilds 1-3 RBI.