WHEELERSBURG — Lightning might not strike in the same place twice, but it might strike the same pitcher more than once.

Ironton’s Dennis Gagai lost a hearbreaker in the sectional championship game for the second straight year, this time 2-1 as the Wheelersburg Pirates got a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning to score the winning run.

Last season, Gagai turned in an outstanding effort only to lose 2-0 to Fairland and East Carolina pitching recruit Michael Hill.

“Dennis didn’t deserve the kind of fate he got,” Ironton coach Mark Lewis said. “He did what I wanted and that was to keep us in the game.

“We couldn’t come up with the big hit with the exception of Dennis’ home run. But they only had one big hit. It was a well-pitched game. We just gave them one at the end.”

The Fighting Tigers (11-9) managed just two hits, one a solo home run by Gagai with one out in the first inning. The other hit was an infield hit by J.J. Johnson in the third inning.

Speaking of infield hits, Wheelersburg had three hits that didn’t leave the infield, one was a bad hop single, and another was a bloop hit to the opposite field.

Ironton held the 1-0 lead until the sixth when Wheelersburg tied the game.

Brandon White bunted for a base hit and John Storey walked to open the inning.

After Justin Stegman flied out, Claebb Proehl went the opposite way for a single to score White.

In the seventh, Adam Wamsley bounced a single up the middle and Drew Sampson’s sacrifice bunt attempt landed in no man’s land for a hit.

Chad Miller came on in relief and got Alex Wamsley to pop out, but White walked to load the bases and Storey walked to force home the winning run.

“The last two pitches (to Storey) were in the (strike) zone,” Ironton catcher Dustin Preston said.

Stegman got the win for Wheelersburg (21-5) as he struck out eight and walked one.

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Wheelersburg0000011=282

Dennis Gagai, Chad Miller (7) and Dustin Preston. Justin Stegman and Brandon White. W-Stegman (8-K, 1-BB, 1-ER). L-Gagai (7-K, 2-BB, 8-H, 2-ER). WP-Gagai.2B-Wheelersburg: Alex Wamsley. HR-Ironton: Dennis Gagai. Hitting-Ironton: Dennis Gagai 1-3 (rbi), J.J. Johnson 1-2; Wheelersburg: Drew Sampson 2-4, Alex Wamsley 1-4, Brandon White 2-3, Calebb Proehl 1-3 (rbi), Adam Wamsley 2-3.