Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PORTSMOUTH — A quick look at the linescore might suggest Ironton should have beat Portsmouth with one exception: Look at the first inning.

The Trojans took a 4-0 lead in the first inning and held on to beat the Fighting Tigers 6-3 on Saturday.

“We came out flat and allowed them to get an early lead,” said Ironton coach Larry Goodwin. “We played well for six innings. However, high school baseball is a seven inning game.”

Portsmouth managed just four hits in the game, two coming in the first inning. A single by Jacob Albrecht, a walk, a hit batsman and a ground out scored a run. Hunter Gibson’s triple made it 4-0.

Ironton answered with three in the second inning.

Mo Philips walked, Sean Lawless reached on an error and they moved up on a wild pitch. Hunter Klaiber doubled home the runners and he scored on a double by Steven Easterling.

Easterling relieved starter Derek Battise in the second inning but struggled with his control. He had not pitched in nine days.

A walk, two wild pitches and a ground out made it 5-3.

Ironton (5-7) loaded the bases in the fifth but failed to score. The Trojans on two walks and a ground out.

In the second game, Ironton was tied 2-2 until the bottom of the sixth inning when everything went wrong. The Fighting Tigers had four errors that fueled the Pirate rallies.

Wheelersburg scored nine runs in the inning and came away with a 12-2 win in six innings.

Battise started the second game as well and handcuffed the Pirates for four innings.

“Derek pitched well into the fifth inning despite not having his best fastball. He kept them off-balance until the fifth,” said Goodwin.

“The one bad inning hurt us. Less the bad inning, it is a 3-2 game heading into the seventh. Again, high school baseball is a seven inning game.”

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first but Ironton came back with two in the second.

Battise singled, moved up on a pair of ground outs and scored on a hit by Klaiber. After two walks Korey Kellogg had an RBI single.

The Pirates tied the game in the fourth and then came the decisive fifth inning.

First Game

Ironton 030 000 0 = 3 7 0

Portsmouth 410 010 x = 6 4 4

Derek Battise, Steven Easterling (2) and Mo Phillips. Levi Porter, Zach Delotell (6) and Brody Shoupe. W-Porter (IP-5, R-3,H-6, K-6, BB-2). Save-Delotell (IP-2, R-0, H-1, K-1, BB-1). L-Battise (IP-1, R-4, H-2, K-0, BB-2). Easterling IP-5, R-2, H-2, K-6, BB-5. 2B-Ironton: Steven Easterling, Hunter Klaiber. 3B-Portsmouth: Brandon Wedebrook, Hunter Gibson. Hitting-Ironton: Steven Easterling 1-4 rbi, Aaron Stephens 1-3, Sean Lawless 1-3, Hunter Klaiber 1-4 rbi, Korey Kellogg 1-3; Portsmouth: Brandon Wedebrook 2-2, Jacob Albrecht 1-4, Hunter Gibson 1-3.

Second Game

Ironton 020 000 = 2 6 4

Wheelersburg 100 191 = 12 14 0

Derek Battise, Luke Diamond (5) and Mo Phillips. Dylan Miller, Jacob Roe (4) and Sam Robinson. WP-Miller. L-Battise (IP-4, R-5, H-4, K-2, BB-2) Diamond IP-1, R-6, H-4, K-2, BB-2. 2B-Wheelersburg: Camron Parsley. 3B-Ironton: Mo Phillips; Wheeelersburg: Garrett Carmichael. Hitting-Ironton: Steven Easterling 1-2, Derek Battise 1-3, Mo Phillips 1-3, Sean Lawless 1-2, Hunter Klaiber 1-3, Korey Kellogg 1-1; Wheelersburg: Garrett Carmichael 3-4, Clay Massie 1-4, Ben Arnold 2-4, Camron Parsley 2-3, Wade Martin 2-4, Nathan Jones 1-3, Derek Moore 1-3.