COAL GROVE – Chad Parker’s home run total this season stands at six.

Sunday, May 06, 2001

COAL GROVE – Chad Parker’s home run total this season stands at six. If he played more games at Coal Grove, Mark McGwire might be looking over his shoulder.

Parker slammed two home runs Friday and pitched a six-hitter as the Ironton Fighting Tigers downed the Coal Grove Hornets 6-4 in the opening round of the Division III sectional tournament.

Last year in a regular season game, Parker hit two home runs in an Ironton win at Coal Grove. Hornets coach John Jones may not want to see the Ironton slugger back on his field for next year’s regular season game.

"Parker must like to hit at our field. He hit a couple of home runs up here last year," Hornets coach John Jones said. "I take my hat off to Chad. He pitched well and he hit well. He took control of the game."

Parker struck out 10, walked two, hit one batter, and only two of the runs were earned.

Coal Grove’s Jarrod Keaton recorded 13 strikeouts and walked just two, but he allowed 10 hits and five runs were earned.

"I thought Chad pitched a heck of a game," Ironton coach Mark Lewis said. "I was impressed with Keaton, too. He had a good breaking ball and he made a lot of good pitches, but we hit the ball well and hard. A lot of times he made a good pitch and we hit it."

Ironton, 12-9, will play at 5 p.m. Wednesday at South Webster in the sectional finals.

The Fighting Tigers went up 1-0 in the first inning with an unearned run.

Josh Harmon reached on an error, moved up on a wild pitch, took third on a passed ball, and scored when Parker grounded out.

The lead went to 2-0 in the second when Matt White doubled down the left field line and Tyler Whaley doubled off the top of the center field fence.

Harmon and Parker hit back-to-back home runs in the third to make it 4-0.

"That’s the first one I’ve got around on that was down around my knees," said Harmon whose blast cleared the centerfield fence.

Parker reached down and away to swat his home run.

"The ball was outside and low. I just went down and got it," Parker said. "The second (home run) was a good pitch, too, but I got around on it and just made good contact."

Coal Grove (12-10) answered with two runs in the bottom of the third.

Josh Keaton walked to start the inning but was forced at second by Eric Tackett. Ryan Brown singled Tackett to second and he stole third. Brown then stole second and a throwing error sent Tackett home and Keaton to third.

An out later, Tyler Waller singled home the second run.

Parker cranked a long home run to start the fifth and the lead was 5-2.

The Fighting Tigers got an insurance run in the seventh.

Harmon walked, stole second, went to third on Mountain’s infield hit, and scored on White’s ground out.

But Coal Grove wasn’t ready to quit.

Andy Dean nailed a Parker fastball for a home run to center to begin the seventh.

Josh Keaton was safe on a two-base error and took third on Brown’s base hit. An outfield error on the play put runners at second and third.

Pinch-hitter Tommy Pemberton singled for a run, but Brown had to hold at third when Waller hit into a force play. Jarrod Keaton walked to load the bases, but Parker got the next batter to pop out to catcher Matt White and end the game.

"Both pitchers threw well, but we haven’t been hitting lately," said Jones. "We gave them one in the first, but the rest they earned. They put the ball in play when they had to and we didn’t. If we start making contact early, maybe we’re in it."

Parker was 2-for-3 with three runs batted in, Whaley 2-for-3, and White 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Brown and Waller were both 2-for-4 to lead the Hornets.

Ironton 112 010 1 – 6 10 3

Coal Grove 002 000 2 – 4 6 1

Chad Parker and Matt White. Jarrod Keaton and Josh Wheeler. W-Parker (10-K, 2-W, 2-ER). L-Keaton (13-K, 2-W, 5-ER). HBP-by Parker (Scott Lewis). WP-Keaton, Parker. PB-Wheeler. LOB-Ironton 7, Coal Grove 7. SB-Ironton: Matt White, Josh Harmon, Chris Collins, Tyler Whaley; Coal Grove: Eric Tackett, Ryan Brown. 2B-Ironton: Matt White, Tyler Whaley 2. HR-Ironton: Josh Harmon, Chad Parker 2; Coal Grove: Andy Dean. Hitting-Ironton: Drew Mains 1-4, Josh Harmon 1-3 (RBI), Chad Parker 2-4 (3 RBI), Greg Mountain 1-4, Matt White 2-4 (RBI), Tyler Whaley 2-3 (RBI), Mark Mains 1-3; Coal Grove: Ryan Brown 2-4, Tommy Pemberton 1-1 (RBI), Tyler Waller 2-4 (RBI), Jarrod Keaton 1-3, Andy Dean 1-3 (RBI).