Jimmy Peyton got his second wind.

Friday, May 05, 2000

Jimmy Peyton got his second wind. That was enough to blow away the Russell Red Devils chances.

In only his second start of the season, Peyton pitched a complete game as the Ironton Fighting Tigers beat Russell 3-2 Thursday.

Peyton, despite tiring in the middle innings, scattered nine hits, struck out three, and did not walk a batter as he improved to 2-0.

"I got tired, but then I got my second wind and I was throwing the ball with something on it at the end," said Peyton.

The Fighting Tigers managed just five hits off Russell’s Jon Smith who fanned four and walked one.

"That was a heck of a game. Peyton really gave us a shot in the arm," Ironton coach Mark Lewis said. "Peyton’s a competitor. I think he got a little tired, but he battled all the way.

"We didn’t have a lot of hits, but we got some timely hits. And we played one of our best defensive games of the season."

Ironton, 11-8, didn’t make an error.

The Fighting Tigers went in front 1-0 in the second.

Josh Harmon ‘s hard ground ball was booted for an error with one out. Harmon stole second and scored when Greg Mountain followed with a base hit.

Ironton’s lead went to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the third.

With one out, Matt Johnson and Drew Mains got back-to-back base hits. Clark Cooper was safe on a throwing error as Johnson scored. Jon Sites then grounded out hard to shortstop allowing Mains to score.

Russell (10-12) scored both its runs in the fourth.

Matt Frazier singled but was erased when Michael Gabbard hit into a force play. Chris Clark singled Gabbard to third and then stole second. Peyton struck out the next batter, but Smith had a two-run single to center. Todd Malone singled behind Smith, but Peyton got the next batter to fly out and end the inning.

The Red Devils threatened in the sixth.

Smith beat out an infield roller and went to third on Tom McClure’s base hit. McClure ran to second on the throw to third to put the potential go-ahead run in scoring position. But Peyton got a foul pop out to end the threat.

Peyton retired the side in order in the seventh.

Ironton hosts Oak Hill at 5 p.m. Friday in the Division III sectional tournament.

Russell 000 200 0 – 2 9 4

Ironton 012 000 x – 3 5 0

Jon Smith and Chris Clark. Jimmy Peyton and Jon Sites. W-Peyton (3-K, 0-W). L-Smith (4-K, 1-W). SB-Russell: Josh Evans; Ironton: Josh Harmon, Derek Moore. LOB-Russell 6, Ironton 4. Hitting-Russell: Matt Frazier 2-4, Chris Clark 1-3, Jon Smith 2-3 (2 RBI), Todd Malone 1-3, Tom McClure 2-3, Dustin Shafer 1-3; Ironton: Drew Mains 2-3, Chad Parker 1-3, Greg Mountain 1-3 (RBI), Matt Johnson 1-1, Jon Sites RBI. Time- 1:40.