Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

BIDWELL — Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.

Larry Morris was smokin’ on Saturday but he was throwing smoke as he struck out 13 batters and pitched a three-hitter to lead the Ironton Fighting Tigers to a 14-3 six-innings rout of the River Valley Raiders.

“Larry Morris pitched a good game. He had 13 strikeouts which is a personal-best for him,” said Ironton coach Larry Goodwin.

“Offensively, we hit the ball really well. It was a total team effort.”

Ironton (4-0) banged out a season-high 15 hits led by Jake Isaac who went 3-for-3 with a double, triple and four runs batted in.

Garrett Carrico also had a big day going 2-4 with four RBIs and Morris helped his own cause by going 3-4 with a double and three RBIs.

Bryce Thomas was 2-3 with an RBI and Hunter Klaiber went 2-2 with a double and three runs batted in.

Ironton jumped in front 4-0 in the first inning.

Dane Wilson, Isaac and Carrico all singled, Klaiber doubled, Morris was hit by a pitch and Kyle Kleinman had an RBI single.

River Valley (3-3) got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Justin Sizemore singled, moved up on a ground out and scored on a pair of two wild pitches.

The Fighting Tigers got the run back in the second when Isaac and Klaiber were hit by pitches and Morris singled.

The Raiders scored a run in the third on a walk, a hit batsman and an RBI single by Jamie Bainter.

Ironton answered with three runs in the fourth to lead 8-2.

Isaac doubled and scored on Klaiber’s hit. Morris doubled, Ethan Duncan walked to load the bases, Chase Rowe was hit by a pitch and Thomas walked to force in two runs.

Isaac tripled and Carrico hit a sacrifice fly as Ironton got a run in the fifth.

Ironton scored five times in the sixth to build a 14-2 lead.

Travis Gayhart walked, Thomas singled and Wilson walked to load the bases. Isaac walked to force in a run and then Carrico, Klaiber and Morris followed with base hits.

River Valley got a run in the bottom of the sixth when Sizemore singled, went to third on a throwing error and Baiter had a sacrifice bunt.

Ironton hosts Fairland Monday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Ironton 410 315 = 14 15 1

River Valley 101 001 = 3 3 0

Larry Morris and Bryce Thomas. Justin Sizemore, Austin Ragen (2), Brycen Brumfield (5) and Jamie Bainter W-Morris (K-13, BB-1, ER-2, HBP-1). L-Sizemore (IP-1, K-1, BB-1, H-3, R-2, ER-2) Ragen (IP-3.1, K-0, BB-3, R-8, ER-8, H-10, HBP-3). Brumfield (IP-1.2, K-1, BB-4, R-4, ER-4, H-2, HBP-2). Hitting-Ironton: Dane Wilson 1-4, Jake Isaac 3-3 rbi 2B 3B, Garrett Carrico 2-4 rbi-4, Cody Rawlins 1-1, Larry Morris 3-4 rbi-3 2B, Kyle Kleinman 1-3 rbi, Bryce Thomas 2-3 rbi, Hunter Klaiber 2-2 rbi-3 2B; RV: Justin Sizemore 2-3, Jamie Bainter 1-2 rbi-2.