Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FRANKLIN FURNACE — If good pitching can cover up a lot of mistakes. Bryce Ponn must carry around a large eraser.
Ponn pitched a five-hitter and the Green Bobcats overcame four errors to beat the Eastern Eagles 7-3 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Thursday.
Ponn struck out nine and did not walk a batter. All three runs were unearned.
“Bryce did a nice job for us. Our defense wasn’t characteristic for us, but he was able to bear down and get the outs,” said McDavid.
“Even though our defense didn’t play as well as usual, we still got some good plays. Rylee Maynard had a big game for us. He played good defense and had two big hits, and Levi Singleton made three superlative plays at third base.”
Green is 11-2 and 8-1 in the SOC and hosts Portsmouth Clay in a showdown for first place on Friday.
The loss was the third in the league for the Eagles.
Eastern took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a hit, an outfield error and a passed ball.
Tanner Kimbler singled, Tayte Carver walked and Ponn was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Singleton grounded out to score Kimbler.
The Bobcats took a 2-1 lead in the second on a walk to Hayden Whittis, Ethan Carpenter’s sacrifice bunt, an infield hit by Eli Webb and Maynard hit into a fielder’s choice as Whittis scored.
Green opened up some breathing room with four runs in the third.
Carver singled, Ponn was hit by a pitch and Singleton put down a sacrifice bunt and a throwing error on the play scored Carver.
Mason Barber hit a sacrifice fly, Whittis singled and Webb had an RBI single. Maynard followed with another RBI single to make it 6-2.
The Bobcats added a run in the fourth on a single by Carver who stole second and scored on Ponn’s base hit.
Eastern managed a pair of unearned runs in the fifth on a single, a throwing error, and an infield error and a single drove in two runs.
Maynard was 2-4 with two RBI, Kimbler was 3-4 while Carver and Webb were both 2-3.
Eastern 100 020 0 = 3 5 2
Green 114 100 x = 7 11 4
Dalton Tomlison and P. Clemmons. Bryce Ponn and Mason Barber. W-Ponn K-9, BB-0, HBP-0. ER-0). L-Tomlison (K-3, BB-2). Hitting-BE: P. Clemmons 1-4, Tomlison 1-3 2-rbi, Miller 1-3, Overby 1-3 2B, Weaver 1-3; Green: Rylee Maynard 2-4 2-rbi, Tanner Kimbler 3-4, Tayte Carver 2-3, Bryce Ponn 1-2, Eli Webb 2-3, Hayden Whittis 1-2.