It wasn’t the kind of day to take a walk, but that’s all they did.

Saturday, April 22, 2000

It wasn’t the kind of day to take a walk, but that’s all they did.

In the rain and slippery surface, Ironton and Indian Valley pitchers combined to walk 24 batters, and 10 of those batters came around to score as the Braves beat Ironton 11-9 Friday.

"The field conditions weren’t real good and the weather wasn’t the best to throw in," Ironton coach Mark Lewis said. "Our pitchers have had pretty good control all year. Any time you people on base, it comes back to hurt you. When you put on as many batters as we did, it’s understandable why they scored 11 runs."

Three Ironton pitchers walked 13 while four Indian Valley pitchers issued 11 free passes.

The loss spoiled an outstanding day at the plate for Ironton catcher Jon Sites who went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, and five runs batted in. Chad Parker was 2-5 with two RBI.

Parker started on the mound for Ironton and was the most effective pitcher for either team even though he struggled with his control. He left with a 7-5 lead but threw 101 pitches in five innings.

Each team scored a run in the first with the aid of walks. The Braves used a walk, two infield hits, and an RBI single by Dave Knestaut to score. Sites walked, stole second, and came home on Parker’s base hit.

Sites had a two-run single in the second and Parker another run-scoring base hit as Ironton took a 4-1 lead.

A walk and singles by Mike McPeek and Knestaut made it 4-2 in the third, but Sites slammed a three-run homer after walks to Tim McKnight and Matt Johnson in the bottom of the inning for a 7-2 lead.

Don Swaldo walked, Garry Lute got a squib single, and J. J. Lute hit a sacrifice fly to make it 7-3 in the fourth.

Indian Valley (10-5) got two more runs in the fifth on two walks and a two-run triple by Swaldo and it was 7-5.

In the top of the sixth, J. J. Lute singled, John Hursey doubled, and Josh Stephen singled them home to tie the game. Three straight walks forced home another run.

The Fighting Tigers (6-4) regained the lead at 9-8 in the bottom of the sixth.

Clark Cooper and Jimmy Peyton walked and Josh Harmon singled to load the bases. A wild pitch sent Cooper racing for home, but the ball hit a fence pole and bounced back to the Braves catcher Swaldo who flipped to McPeek, the pitcher, who tagged out Cooper.

However, moments later Swaldo attempted to pick Peyton off third base and the throw went into left field allowing both runners to score and give Ironton the lead.

But five walks and a base hit by Stevens enabled the Braves to score three times in the seventh and go ahead for good at 11-9.

Ironton tried to rally in the bottom of the inning.

McKnight reached on an error and an out later Sites doubled. But McPeek struck out the next two batters to end the game.

The Fighting Tigers play at Greenup County, Ky. Monday. They’ll complete a suspended game before playing the regularly scheduled game.