By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

AID — The Rock Hill Redmen paid no attention to any early season theories.

The Redmen banged out 13 in the first game of the season as they beat the Symmes Valley Vikings 6-3 Monday.

“Pitching is usually ahead of the hitting, but we did hit the ball pretty well today,” said Rock Hill coach Barry Litteral.

“It was nice to win. The first one is always the hardest.”

Ryan Hackworth made it seem easy as he went five innings allowing five hits and two earned runs while striking out eight and walking only two.

Drew Kidd went two innings for the save.

Ryan Depriest was 3-for-3 and Shane Russell and Cody Massie were 3-4 to lead the offense. Chris Donohue, Russell and Massie all doubled.

“We hit a lot of balls hard but it was cold and the air was heavy and it kept them in the park,” said Litteral.

Corey Brown was 3-3 to lead the Vikings. Evan Herrell and Jacob Patterson were 2-4.

Rock Hill took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Russell single and Massie singled and Devin Darby had a two-run single.

The Redmen added a run in the second on a hit by Depriest, an infield hit by Jared Bruce, a passed ball and a rundown.

The Vikings got within 3-2 in the fourth inning on a double by Taylor, an RBI single by Patterson and Brown’s double.

Each team got a run in the sixth.

Matt Jenkins reached on a fielder’s choice, Donohue walked and Depriest singled in the top of the inning.

The Vikings countered with hits by Patterson and Brown and an error.

Rock Hill added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh.

Russell doubled, Kidd had a sacrifice and Massie stroked a run-scoring hit. Jonathan Schob singled to put runners on the corners and a passed ball scored Massie.

On Tuesday, Rock Hill plays at Gallipolis and Symmes Valley is at Oak Hill.

Rock Hill 210 001 2 = 6 13 2

Symmes Valley 000 201 0 = 3 8 2

Ryan Hackworth, Drew Kidd (6) and Cody Massie. Nathan Dockery, Cody Myers (7) and Jacob Patterson. W-Hackworth (8-K, 2-BB, 5-H, 2-ER). Save-Kidd (2-K, 1-BB, 3-H, 1-ER). L-Dockery (6-K, 1-BB, 12-H, 6-R, 6-ER). 2B-RH: Shane Russell, Cody Massie, Chris Donohue; SV: Luke Taylor, Corey Brown. Hitting-Rock Hill: Shane Russell 3-4, Cody Massie 3-4, Ryan Depriest 3-3, Jonathan Schob 1-4, Devin Darby 1-4, Chris Donohue 1-2, Jared Bruce 1-3; SV: Corey Brown 3-3, Luke Taylor 1-3, Jacob Patterson 2-4, Evan Herrell 2-4.