Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

FRANKLIN FURANCE — Fast food restaurants aren’t the only places to find grinders.
The Green Bobcats did some grinding as they used a walk-off sacrifice fly by Derrick Brown in the 10th inning to beat the Portsmouth Clay Panthers 6-5 in a Southern Ohio Conference game on Monday.
Green’s Tanner Kimbler went nine innings and Clay’s Brody Riffe worked eight innings in a pitching battle. Both teams had just six hits.
“We just grinded it out. We made the most of our opportunities and we got some hitters who came through with some clutch hits,” said Green coach Dan McDavid.
“It was a heck of a baseball game. Both Kimbler and Riffe battled all night and (Derrick) Brown came through when he got the opportunity.”
Trevor Carver worked the 10th inning to get the win for Green (6-2, 4-0). Reliever Dakota Dodds took the loss for Clay (2-5, 0-3).
Clay got two runs in the first inning on hits by Grant Hemphill and Drew Hadsell and a two-run single by Keith Cottle.
Green got a run back in the second when Carver reached on an error, Hayden Whitis singled and Drew Ramey had an RBI single.
Clay got an unearned run in the top of the third on a hit by Hadsell and a throwing error into the outfield.
But Green tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
With one out, Kimbler singled, Tyler Darnell walked and both moved up on a wild pitch. Carver then had a two-run single.
The Bobcats went up 5-3 in the fourth.
Rylee Maynard walked, Ramey was safe on an error and they moved up on a ground out by Dawson Blevins. Kimbler then had a clutch two-run single.
Clay tied the game with two runs in the sixth.
McGwire Garrison singled and a throwing error and an outfield error on a ground ball by Cole Gilliland allowed the run to score. Reece Whitley then hit a sacrifice fly.
In the bottom of the 10th, Maynard reached on an error with one out. Ramey walked and Blevins reached on a fielder’s choice that left the bases loaded.
Brown then hit a sacrifice fly to right field that allowed Maynard to score on a close play at home for the win.
Green hosts South Gallia on Wednesday. The Bobcats will play at Clay on Saturday in a makeup game.
Ports. Clay    201    002    000    0    =    5    6    2
Green          012    200    000    1    =    6    6    3
Brody Riffe, Dakota Dodds (9) and Dakota Dodds, Reece Whitley (9). Tanner Kimbler, Trevor Carver (10) and Trevor Carver, Tanner Kimbler (10). W-Carver (K-1). Kimbler (IP-9.0, K-11, BB-1, H-6, R-5, ER-2, HBP-1). L-Dodds. Hitting-Clay: Grant Hemphill 1-5, Drew Hadsell 2-5, McGwire Garrison 1-3, Cole Gilliland 1-3, Keith Cottle 1-4; Green: Tanner Kimbler 2-5, Tayte Carver 1-4, Trevor Carver 1-5, Hayden Whitis 1-4, Drew Ramey 1-4.