Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — One big hit was the difference.
Fairland’s Cooper Cummings clutch RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning was the difference in a tight pitching duel as the Fairland Dragons edged the Coal Grove Hornets 2-1 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Friday.
The pitching duel between Fairland’s Blake Trevathan and Coal Grove’s Connor Harrison.
Trevathan gave up 5 hits, racked up 14 strikeouts and did not issue a walk.
Harrison also went the distance giving up 6 hits, one earned run with 7 strikeouts and 4 walks.
“Connor is a lefthander and he has a lot of movement on his ball. He pitched a great game,” said Hornets’ coach Blair Demetroules.
“The boys responded well in all situations. There’s no such thing as a moral victory, but I was proud of their effort.”
Fairland took the lead with a run in the third inning when Dacoda Chapman walked, went to second a fly out, stole third and came home when Gavin Hunt reached on an error.
Coal Grove tied the game in the top of the seventh.
Tait Matney singled, stole second went to third when Landon Davis beat out a bunt single and scored on a bad pickoff throw.
But the Dragons came back in the bottom of the inning when Chapman singled and scored on a one-out double in the gap by Cummings.
On Monday, Coal Grove is at Portsmouth and Fairland goes to Gallipolis.
Coal Grove 000 000 1 = 1 5 1
Fairland 001 000 1 = 2 6 1
Connor Harrison and Jake Stevens. Blake Trevathan and Cooper Cummings. W-Trevathan (ER-0, K-14, BB-0). L-Harrison (ER-1, K-7, BB-4). Hitting-CG: Tait Matney 2-3 2B, Landon Davis 1-3, Connor Harrison 2-3; FHS: Dacoda Chapman 1-1, Cooper Cummings 2-4 2B RBI, Gavin Hunt 1-2, Blake Trevathan 1-2, Hunter Lykins 1-3.