GALLIPOLIS — When the smoke cleared, it was still foggy.

The Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers and Gallipolis Blue Angels went into Saturdays SEOAL doubleheader tied for first place in the South Division at 5-1. When the day was over, they were still tied.

“What an improvement since our first outing with Gallia,” Ironton coach Missy Fields said referring to a 13-0 loss last week.

“The first time they banged out 12 hits and we cut that in half. (Carlie) Collins pitched a good game going the distance).”

Gallipolis got a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the opener 5-4 and then Ironton rallied from seven runs down to win the nightcap 10-9 in nine innings.

The two teams are 6-2 with one league game left. However, Gallipolis holds the tiebreaker since the Blue Angels have won 2-out-3 meetings.

“I’m so proud of the lady Tigers today,” said Fields. “After Gallia scored six runs in the first inning (of the second game), I was worried that the girls would give up. I am glad I was wrong.”

In the first game, Gallipolis scored the winning run a freakish play in the seventh inning.

Two walks and an Ironton error loaded the bases with one out. Gallipolis hit an infield pop up and the batter was called out automatically on the infield fly rule.

However, runners can advance at their own risk and Gallipolis’ Courtney Shriver caught Ironton’s defense napping and raced home with the winning run.

After falling behind 3-0, Ironton had scored two runs in the fifth on an infield pop fly sacrifice fly of its own and then got an RBI triple by Janie Morris.

Gallipolis scored a run in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-2, but Ironton tied the game in the sixth on run-scoring hits by Nikki Elswick and Collins.

In the second game, Ironton fell behind 8-1 before staging an amazing comeback win.

Collins got the win with two innings of work in relief of Rebekkah Potter.

Ironton used 13 hits to overcome five errors with Karlee McMackin going 2-3, Potter 2-4 and Alex Taylor, Elswick and Emily Lilly 2-5. Elswick had a double while Taylor, Potter and McMackin all had triples.

First Game

Ironton 000 022 0 = 4 7 4

Gallipolis 012 010 1 = 5 6 2

Karlie Collins and Emily Lilly. Amy Noe and Mattie Lanham. W-Noe (5-K, 1-BB). L-Collins (6-K, 5-BB). 2B-Gallipolis: Shriver. 3B-Ironton: Janie Morris. Hitting-Ironton: Janie Morris 1-4, Alex Taylor 1-4, Emily Lilly 1-3, Nikki Elswick 1-3, Rebekkah Potter 1-2, Karlie Collins 2-3; Gallipolis: Hannah Cunningham 1-4, Courtney Shriver 2-2, Amy Noe 1-3, Morgan Leslie 1-3, Mattie Lanham 1-3.

Second Game

Ironton 010 051 201 = 10 13 5

Gallipolis 620 000 100 = 9 7 1

Rebekkah Potter, Carlie Collins (8) and Emily Lilly. Heather Ward, Amy Noe (5) and Mattie Lanham. W-Collins (5-K, 2-BB). L-Noe (3-K, 1-BB). (Potter 4-K, 5-BB, 1-HBP). (Ward 1-K, 2-BB). 2B-Ironton: Nikki Elswick. 3B-Ironton: Alex Taylor, Emily Lilly, Rebekkah Potter. Hitting-Ironton: Janie Morris 1-5, Taylor Lilly 1-5, Alex Taylor 2-5, Emily Lilly 2-5, Nikki Elswick 2-5, Rebekkah Potter 2-4, Carlie Collins 1-4, Karlee McMackin 2-3; Gallipolis: Alli Saunders 2-5, Courtney Shriver 1-2, Amy Noe 2-5, Morgan Leslie 1-5, Heather Ward 1-5.