Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — From the start of the game to the end, the South Point Pointers got better, much like their season.
The Pointers rallied for three runs in the seventh inning to beat the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans 7-5 on Friday.
“Early in the season we lost 15-5 to them. We walked several batters and did play very well defensively,” said Pointers’ coach Zach Jenkins.
“Over the past two weeks, our pitching has really cut down on the amount of walked batters and our defense is quite a bit better.”
The game was scoreless until the fourth when the Titans scored three times.
Seth Nichols reached on an error, Ethan Kammer was hit by a pitch and Alex Cassidy had an RBI single. Matt Boldman was safe on an error and Chris Schmidt hit a two-run single.
The Pointers answered with four runs in the top of the fifth.
Dontae Harris doubled and Xathan Haney doubled. And out later, Tanner Runyon reached on an error as a run scored. Brendan Dillon was safe on an error as a run scored, stole second and Zac Cline had a two-run single.
“I’m very proud or our boys grit and heart. We fell behind after a bad inning defensively and a couple of walks, but the boys responded with a big inning of our own aided by their defensive mistakes,” said Jenkins.
Notre Dame tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Nichols singled, Kammer walked, Tucker Hermann was hit by a pitch and Nichols scored on a wild pitch.
The Titans took a 5-4 lead in the sixth when Boldman walked, stole second and scored on a hit by Schmidt.
But the Pointers came back with three runs in the seventh.
With one out, Dillon singled, Levi Lawson walked and with two outs Gage Chapman singled home the tying run. Jordan Ermalovich then singled in two runs to give the Pointers the lead.
“We were down to our final strike and freshman gage Chapman smokes a ball up the middle to tie it and sophomore Jordan Ermalovich drills another ball up the middle to score two more,” said Jenkins.
Hunter McCallister went 6.2 innings before hitting 125 pitches. He got the win as he gave up six hits, three earned runs, struck out eight, walked four and hit three batters. Haney got the final out for the save.
“Senior Hunter McCallister has had three consecutive really strong outings on the mound and put together another one last night. And give freshman Xathan Haney some credit. He hadn’t pitched in a varsity game in three weeks came in with the tying run on base and finds a way to strand him.”
Cline was 2-4 with two RBI, Haney 2-3 with two doubles and Ermalovich 1-4 with two RBI.
Kammer took the loss as he gave up three earned runs, struck out 10 and walked three.
Schmidt was 2-3 with three RBI.
South Point 000 040 3 = 7 8 3
Notre Dame 000 311 0 = 5 6 2
Hunter McCallister, Xathan Haney (7) and Gage Chapman. Ethan Kammer and Matt Boldman. W-McCallister (IP-6.2, H-6, R-5, ER-3, K-8, BB-4, HBP-3). Save-Haney (IP-0.1, BB-1). L-Kammer (ER-3, K-10, BB-3). Hitting-SP: Brendan Dillon 1-4 RBI, Zac Cline 2-4 2-RBI, Gage Chapman 1-4 RBI, Xathan Haney 2-3 2-2B, Jordan Ermalovich 1-4 2-RBI, Dontae Harris 1-4, Tanner Runyon RBI; PND: Dylan Seison 1-4, Caleb Nichols 1-3, Alex Cassidy 1-3 RBI, Chris Schmidt 2-3 3-RBI, Jake McGuire 1-2.