By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — The defense may not have been sturdy, but the pitching and hitting stood strong.

Kaleigh Murphy gave up just one earned run, struck out 8 and did not walk a batter while the offense had 13 hits to give the Coal Grove Lady Hornets an 8-5 season opening win over the Huntington High Lady Highlanders on Monday.

Coal Grove overcame 5 errors to get the win as Murphy scattered 8 hits.

Huntington (1-7) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Caelin Marcum tripled in a run.

Coal Grove came right back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning only to have the Lady Highlanders get a run in the top if the the third to take a 2-1 lead.

Coal Grove answered with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning to lead 3-2.

Huntington scored 3 runs in the fifth for a 5-3 lead but Coal Grove got 3 runs in its half of the inning to take the lead for good at 6-5.

The Lady Hornets added 2 insurance runs in the sixth.

Coal Grove’s offense was led by Rylee Harmon who went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI, Katie Deeds 3-4 with 2 RBIs, Murphy was 3-4, Rylee Black 2-4 with a double and 3 RBIs while Abbie Deeds and Ellie Delawder each went 1-3.

Huntington 101 030 0 = 5 8 5

Coal Grove 102 032 x = 8 13 5

Amelia Howard and Maleia Johnson. Kaleigh Murphy and Katie Deeds. W-Murphy (ER-1, K-8, BB-0, WP-1, HBP-1). L-Howard (ER-4, K-4, BB-0, WP-1). Hitting-HH: Lexi Black 2-4, Amelia Howard 1-4, Caelin Marcum 3-4 3B 2-RBI, Jada Kent 2-3 2B RBI; Coal Grove: Kaleigh Murphy 3-4, Rylee Harmon 3-3 2B RBI, Katie Deeds 3-4 2-RBI, Rylee Black 2-4 2B 3-RBI, Abbie Deeds 1-3, Ellie Delawder 1-3.