It has been said that variety is the spice of life. For the Coal Grove Hornets it’s just routine.

Injuries and conflicts with players running track have forced first-year head coach Dean Mader to juggle his starting lineups almost every game.

The Hornets appear to be adjusting to adjusting after beating the St. Joseph Flyers 12-2 Tuesday in six innings.

“We’re playing better ball,” said Mader. “We’ve had 14 different lineups in 18 games and four players have started at five different positions. They’ve done a good job of adapting.”

The Hornets (9-9) had 15 hits with Oakie Haynes going 4-4 and Wayne Sparks 3-4 with a home run and four runs batted in. Frank Delawder and Cody Damron also homered.

Payton Blair was 2-4 to lead the Flyers (12-4).

Coal Grove jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning and never trailed.

Haynes and Jake Murphy doubled for a run and Sparks singled home Murphy. Sparks stole second base, moved up on a fielder’s choice and scored on Jared Eldridge’s base hit. Damron followed with a two-run homer.

The Flyers got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Blair reached on an error and scored on Tanner Riley’s base hit.

Coal Grove scored two more in the second inning on Sparks’ home run following a single by Haynes.

Haynes singled and scored on a double by Sparks in the fourth to make it 8-1, but the Flyers got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Joseph Unger singled and Anthony Whaley reached on an error.

Coal Grove went up 10-2 in the fifth. Justin Hern singled, Eldridge walked, and Nathan Sullivan and Cody Gool followed with RBI singles.

The Hornets got two more runs to make it 12-2 in the sixth when Haynes singled and Delawder homered.

Wednesday the Hornets host Symmes Valley and the Flyers visit Oak Hill.

Coal Grove 520 122 = 12 15 2

St. Joseph 100 100 = 2 6 1

Wayne Sparks, Justin Hern (3), Jake Murphy (4) and Jake Murphy, Wayne Sparks (4). T.J. Young, Levi Hopkins (6) and Justin Mahlmeister. W-Murphy. L-Young. 2B-Coal Grove: Wayne Sparks, Oakie Haynes, Jake Murphy. HR-Coal Grove: Wayne Sparks, Frank Delawder, Cody Damron. Hitting-Coal Grove: Oakie Haynes 4-4, Jake Murphy 1-4, Wayne Sparks 3-4 4-RBI, Frank Delawder 1-4 2-RBI, Justin Hern 1-3, Jared Eldridge 2-2 RBI, Cody Damron 1-3 2-RBI, Cody Gool 1-3 RBI; St. Joseph: Payton Blair 2-4, Levi Hopkins 1-2, Tanner Riley 1-3, Joseph Unger 1-3, Anthony Whaley 1-2.