Pitching Keys Bobcats to Begin Season

PORTSMOUTH — There’s an old Avis rental car ad that said, “When you’re only number 2, you try harder.”

Landon Kimbler is proving he does try harder.

With standout Jon Knapp one of the area’s top pitchers, Kimbler proved himself to be someone to contend with as he pitched a 4-hitter with 10 strikeouts as the Green Bobcats beat the Portsmouth Clay Panthers 6-1 in a Southern Ohio Conference 1 game on Wednesday.

Green (3-1, 1-0) collected 12 hits in the win with Mason Neal going 3-4 to lead the attack. Kimbler was 2-4 with a double while Knapp and Blake Smith each went 2-4 with a run batted in.

Smith had an RBI single to give Green a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Noah McMackin had a run-scoring hit in the second as Green went up 3-0.

Zane Ball went 6.1 innings for Clay (2-1, 0-1) as he took the loss.

Green    120 200 1 = 6 12 2

Ports, Clay 000 010 0 = 1 4 3

Landon Kimbler and Noah McMackin. Zane Ball, Evan Rider and Evan Rider, Isaiah Whitt (7). W-Kimbler (IP-7.0, H-4, R-1, ER-0, K-10, BB-1). L-Ball (IP-6.1, H-10, R-6, R-5, ER-5, K-1, BB-1). Rider (IP-0.2, H-2, R-0, K-1, BB-0). Hitting-Green: Landon Kimbler 2-4 2B, Gabe Blevins 1-4, Jon Knapp 2-4 RBI, Blake Smith 2-4 RBI, Mason Neal 3-4, Kase McIntyre 1-3, Noah McMackin 1-4 RBI; Ports. Clay: Aldyn Schackart 1-3, Zane Ball 1-3, Evan Rider 1-3, Cayden McKenzie 1-3 2B.

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Green 4, Rock Hill 2

PEDRO — Jon Knapp wasn’t perfect, but he was unhittable.

Although he allowed 2 runs, Knapp did not allow a hit as the Green Bobcats beat the Rock Hill Redmen 4-2.

Knapp struck out 16 of the 21 outs and walked one as he threw the no-hitter. He also went 3–4 at the plate including a double and a triple to go with a run batted in.

Green got all the runs they needed by taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Knapp tripled, Blake Smith singled and Mason Neal doubled to drive in 2 or the runs.

Rock Hill’s Braylon McClellan threw well in defeat. He gave up 8 hits, 4 earned runs, struck out 3 and walked one.

Green 300 001 0 = 4 8 0

Rock Hill 000 200 0 = 2 0 2

Jon Knapp and Noah McMackin. Braylon McClelan and Drew Schug. W-Knapp (IP-7.0, H-0, R-2, ER-2, K-16, BB-1). L-McClellan (IP-7.0, H-8, R-4, ER- 4, K-3, BB-1). Hitting-Green: Gabe Blevins 1-3, Jon Knapp 3-4 RBI 2B 3B, Blake Smith 1-4, Quincy Merrill 1-3, Mason Neal 1-2 RBI 2B, Kase McIntyre 1-3 RBI 3B; Rock Hill: None.

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Green 9, Chesapeake 4

FRANKLIN FURNACE — Landon Kimbler gave a shutdown effort in relief and the Green Bobcats used 9 walks to help fuel a 9-4 win over the Chesapeake Panthers.

Kimbler worked 5 innings in relief without allowing a hit. He struck out 6, did not allow a walk and one unearned run.

Chesapeake (0-2) went up 1-0 in the top of the first inning due to an error. But Green came back with 4 runs in the bottom of the inning.

The Panthers got within 4-3 in the top of the second but the Bobcats got a run in their half of the inning and 2 more in the third and fifth innings.

Gabe Blevins and Mason Neal were 2-3 for the Bobcats while Jon Knapp was 1-3 with a double and 2 runs batted in.

Chesapeake 120 100 0 = 4 4 9

Green 412 020 x = 9 6 4

Peyton Muncy, Mason Budd (3) and Joe Cremeans. Gabe Blevins, Landon Kimbler (3) and Noah McMackin. W-Kimbler (IP-5.0, H-0, R-1, ER-0, K-6, BB-0). Blevins (IP-2.0, H-4, R-3, ER-2, K-2, BB-2). L-Muncy (IP-2.2, H-3, R-7, ER–5, K-3, BB-9). Budd (IP-3.1, H-3, R-2, ER-0, K-4, BB-0). Hitting–Chesapeake: Mason Budd 1-3, Kaden Perkins 1-4, Peyton Muncy 1-4, Elijah Duvendeck 1-2; Green: Landon Kimbler 1-3, Gabe Blevins 2-3, Jon Knapp 1-3 2-RBI 2B, Mason Neal 2-3.