By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — It looks like it’s going to be a 2-team race for the Ohio Valley Conference softball title.

But there’s a curveball in the equation.

The Coal Grove Lady Hornets beat the Fairland Lady Dragons 4-2 on Friday and climbed to within one game of the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers for the OVC lead.

The loss was the second in the league for the Lady Dragons who can now only hope that Coal Grove beats Ironton to put the league race in a 3-way tie.

Coal Grove is 11-7 overall and 9-2 in the OVC while Ironton is 11-1 in the league. Fairland falls to 12-4 overall and 8-2 in the league. Fairland plays at Coal Grove next Thursday. The Lady Dragons need to win out and get Coal Grove to beat Ironton.

Abbie Deeds continued her strong pitching with a 4-hitter. She gave up 2 earned runs, struck out 11 and walked only one.

Kaylee Salyer pitched well in defeat. She gave up 4 earned runs, struck out 9 and did not issue a walk.

Coal Grove took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Deeds singled, moved up on a passed ball, took third on a ground out and scored on a hit by Rylee Black. Mia Haynes and Kasey Vanderhoof followed with singles to plate Black.

Fairland got its 2 runs in the bottom of the inning as Kaylee Salyer doubled, Ally Shepherd tripled and Jordan Spencer had a one-out RBI double.

Salyer’s single in the fifth inning was the only other Fairland hit.

The Lady Hornets got the winning runs in the fifth inning.

Deeds and Shay Collins singled to put runners on the corners. Collins went to second on defensive indifference and Izzy Kitts and Black both grounded out as the runners scored.

Coal Grove had 8 hits with Deeds 2-4, Haynes 2-3, Rylee Black 1-3 with 2 RBI, Vanderhoof 1-3 with an RBI, Kendall Taylor 1-3, and Collins 1-4.

Salyer was 2-4 for Fairland while Spencer was 1-3 with a double and RBI and Shepherd 1-4 with a triple and RBI.

Coal Grove 200 020 0 = 4 8 2

Fairland   200 000 0 = 2 4 2

Abbie Deeds and Rylee Black. Kaylee Salyer and Makena Blacks. W-Deeds (IP-7.0, H-4, R-2, ER-2, K-11, BB-1). L-Salyer (IP-7.0, H-8, R-4, ER-4, K-9, BB-0). Hitting-Coal Grove: Abbie Deeds 2-4, Shay Collins 1-4, Izzy Kitts RBI, Rylee Black 1-3 2-RBI, Mia Haynes 2-3, Kasey Vanderhoof 1-3 RBI, Kendall Taylor 1-3; Fairland: Kaylee Salyer 2-4 2B, Ally Shepherd 1-4 3B RBI, Jordan Spencer 1-3 2B RBI.