By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth Lady Trojans are no longer the sleeper in the Ohio Valley Conference race.

They’re wide awake.

Portsmouth improved to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the OVC after an 8-1 win over the Coal Grove Lady Hornets on Tuesday.

Faith Phillips pitched a 4-hitter to lead the Lady Trojans to the win.

Portsmouth had 8 hits with Katie Born going 2-3 with a triple and 3 runs batted in, Emily Cheatham 2-4, Olivia Dickerson 1-2 with 2 RBI and Phillips 1-4 with 2 RBI.

Rylee Harmon smacked a solo home run in the fourth inning for the Lady Hornets only run.

Coal Grove (2-5, 0-4) had 4 hits as Kassidy Travis and Abbie Deeds were 1-2, Kaleigh Murphy 1-3 and Harmon 1-3 with the home run.

Coal Grove visits Gallipolis on Wednesday.

Coal Grove 000 100 0 = 1 4 1

Portsmouth 005 003 x = 8 8 0

Kaleigh Murphy, Abbie Deeds (4) and Katie Deeds. Faith Phillips and Katie Born. W-Phillips (IP-7.0, R-1, ER-1, K-4, BB-0). L-Murphy (IP-3.0, H-6, R-5, ER-5, K-4, BB-3). Deeds (IP-3.0, H-2, R-3, ER-3, K-5, BB-3). Hitting-CG: Kassidy Travis 1-2, Kaleigh Murphy 1-3, Abbie Deeds 1-2, Rylee Harmon 1-3 HR RBI; PHS: Emily Cheatham 2-4, Madison Perry 1-3 2B RBI, Olivia Dickerson 1-2 2-RBI, Katie Born 2-3 3B 3-RBI, Faith Phillips 1-4 2-RBI, Gabi Johnson 1-2.