GALLIPOLIS — The Rock Hill Redmen can’t seem to play anything but close, well-pitched games.

After winning 2-0 in eight innings on Friday, the Redmen lost 1-0 heartbreaker to the Gallipolis Blue Devils on Monday in a key Ohio Valley Conference game.

Gallipolis’ Josh Faro threw a one-hitter and the Blue Devils made a run they scored in the first inning stand up for the win.

“It was a well-pitched game and a well-played game, we just couldn’t get anything strung together,” said Rock Hill coach Barry Litteral. “I can’t ask for anything more than they gave tonight. They did everything I wanted and they fought to the bitter end.”

The Blue Devils are now 11-7 overall and finish 10-4 in the OVC, thus clinching at least a share of the league title for the second straight season.

Rock Hill needed a win to try to get a share of the OVC title. The Redmen are 10-5 and 8-5 in the league. Coal Grove is 9-4 in the OVC and needs a win against Chesapeake to earn a share of the title.

Gallipolis scored the only run when John Stout led off with a double, went to third on a ground out to second base by Cole Davis and scored on a ground out by Garrett McGuire to shortstop.

Rock Hill got one runner to second base in the third and one runner to third base in the sixth. But the next two batters were retired

With one out in the sixth, Logan Hankins bunted for a single, got picked off first but turned it into a stolen base and went to third on a throwing error.

Landon Smith was the tough-luck losing pitcher for Rock Hill. He struck out six, walked four and gave up only four hits.

Faro struck out 10 and walked two as he gave up five hits.

Rock Hill hosts Fairland on Wednesday.

 

Rock Hill    000    000    0    =    0    5    0
Gallipolis    100    000    x    =    1    4    2

Landon Smith and Kaleb Kidd. Josh Faro and Josh Davis. W-Faro (K-10, BB-2). L-Smith (K-6, BB-4). Hitting-RH: Jake Blagg 1-3, Cody Lewis 1-3, Logan Hankins 1-3, Kaden France 1-1, Seth Nichols 1-3, 1-2; Gallia: John Stout 1-3 2B, Brody Thomas 1-3, Jeremy Brumfield 1-2 2B, Dylan Smith 1-3.