Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

SOUTH POINT — The veteran showed the youngsters how you do it.
Senior pitcher Hunter McCallister turned in a strong pitching performance despite the South Point Pointers losing their season opener 6-3 to the Portsmouth West Senators on Saturday.
McCallister gave up 8 hits, 2 earned runs with 5 strikeouts and just 2 walks.
“I was very pleased with the pitching effort of Hunter McCallister who is one of our seniors,” said Pointers’ first-year coach Zack Jenkins. “We are a very young team with only five total upperclassmen. (McCallister) really stepped up and gave us a chance to win the ball game.
“We don’t have anyone who has ever thrown a varsity pitch prior to this spring, so for him to come out and throw a complete game on opening days and give us a shot to win was a testament to the work he has put in.”
West went up 1-0 in the first inning when Caleb Hazelbaker reached on an error and scored on a hit by Luke Howard.
In the third, Hazelbaker singled, Steven Sadler walked and Howard reached on an error and scored on a passed ball to make it 3-0.
South Point tied the game in the bottom of the third.
Gage Chapman led off with a walk, stole second and scored on a double by Nakian Dawson. Zac Cline, Jordan Ermalovich and Tanner Runyon all walked for a run and Levi Lawson was hit by a pitch forcing in a run.
West took the lead in the fourth when Jakob Tipton singled, stole second and third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Tanner Cantrell.
Hazelbaker walked, stole second and scored on a hit by Luke Bradford in the fifth for a 5-3 lead.
The final run scored in the seventh on a hit by Howard, a stolen base, a passed ball and a sacrifice fly by Rodney Moore.
‘We certainly had our opportunities to take the lead and win the game,” said Jenkins. “We stranded many runners throughout the game and got thrown out at home to end one inning on a great throw from their left fielder. Overall, I was pleased with our effort and intensity. We just need to fix the little things and hit a little better.”
The Pointers visit Greenup County, Ky., at 6 p.m. Monday and host Grace Christian at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Ports. West 102 110 1 = 6 8 1
South Point 003 000 0 = 3 3 3
Rodney Moore, Jacob Davis (3) and Eli Sayre. Hunter McCallister and Nakian Dawson. W-Davis (IP-4.1, H-2, R-0, K-4, BB-4). Moore (IP-2.2, H-1, R-3, ER-3, K-7, BB_6). L-McCallister (ER-2, K-5, BB-2). Hitting-PW: Caleb Hazelbaker 1-3, Luke Howard 2-4 RBI, Luke Bradford 1-3 RBI, Rodney Moore RBI, Jakob Tipton 1-4, Tanner Cantrell 1-2 RBI, Eli Sayre 2-3; SP: Nakian Dawson 1-3 2B RBI, Zac Cline 1-2, Blaine Freeman 1-4, Levi Lawson 1-3 RBI.