Photo by Cody Tomer John Marshall’s Shane Dobbs fields a ground ball at first during Saturday’s doubleheader against Ripley.

GLEN DALE — Saturday’s doubleheader at John Marshall was all about hitting in the clutch.

John Marshall and Ripley split the twinbill, each picking up wins of 9-4.

In the opener the Monarchs (3-7) came through with 14 hits, six of them coming with runners in scoring position in a victory.

Dereck Black smacked a pair of RBI knocks — driving in three.

Shane Dobbs finished with three hits, including a two-run double, Reid Wiley collected a two-run single, Joel Wise supplied a RBI double and Josh Schramm added a RBI single.

“Timely hitting was probably the big difference in that one,” JM coach Mark Cisar said. “They walked some guys and we got some big hits. That kind of got us going in the first game.”

In addition to the strong performance at the plate, Grant Swift was dominant on the mound striking out six and walking four in a complete game effort.

He pounded the strike zone early in counts, delivering 78 of his 115 pitches for strikes.

“Swift threw really well,” Cisar said. “He threw strikes. He changed speeds, had a nice changeup and a decent curveball but the big thing for him was getting ahead in the count and hitting his spots.”

The Monarchs fell behind 1-0 in the first but struck back in the second with some two-out lightning.

Dobbs got the ball rolling with a single, followed by a John Davis walk.

Schramm brought home the team’s first run on a single and Black finished the job with a two-run single.

Broedy Boyce led off the third with a double for Ripley and came around to score on a Gage Songer sac fly to cut the deficit to 3-2 but JM removed all doubt in the third.

Wise stepped up with a RBI double and Dobbs brought home two on a missile to deep center field.

Dobbs finished the day with five hits, including a monster home run against the wind to right field in the nightcap.

“It feels great to get some hits,” Dobbs said. “On the double I was just focused on running hard to get to second.”

Cisar added: “Dobbs had a really nice day. That home run was an absolute shot into the wind. He needed it because he was struggling at the plate so it was a good day for him to break out of it.”

Black recorded another RBI single before a two-run knock by Wiley capped the six-run third.

Swift was dynamite the rest of the way, allowing just two runs in the sixth as the Monarchs rolled.

Seniors John Davis and Chas McCool each provided two hits for JM.

Songer had two hits to go with his sac fly and both Josh Carte and Boyce finished with a single and a double.

“The first game I think we were asleep for the first four or five innings,” Ripley coach Shane Casto said. “After staying in the hotel and starting an hour early in a different environment we got our hind ends kicked.

“Give credit to (Swift). He threw strikes and we didn’t hit it.

“I think we woke up a little bit toward the end of the first game and came out of the gate really hot in the second game. Overall, it was a good weekend. We’re fortunate that they let us come up and play.”

In Game 2, errors proved costly from the start for John Marshall and Ripley took advantage.

The Monarchs suffered three miscues in the opening frame and the Vikings put up five runs to take control early.

Dane Peterson kept JM’s hitters quiet for six innings, striking out seven and walking two.

Songer paced the Vikings with two singles, a double and four RBI.

Along with Dobbs’ solo blast, Wise drove in a run for the Monarchs, who received pinch-hit RBI knocks from Mason Duckworth and Garrett Bratton in the seventh inning.

“I was really pleased with the pinch hitters in the second game,” Cisar said. “They stepped in and had great at-bats and strung together some hits there.”

Freshman Jacob Korngiver earned the start for JM and pitched into the fifth.

The lefty struck out two and walked one but was done in by errors.

In all, the Monarchs tallied seven errors in the loss.

“I thought Korngiver threw well but you look up at the scoreboard and we have seven errors,” Cisar said. “I think six runs were unearned.

“But we have a good nucleus with a bunch of good, young kids and we’re working hard.”