Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PORTSMOUTH — The defense didn’t rest, it took the day off.
Ironton committed five errors that led to five unearned runs in a 7-4 Ohio Valley Conference loss to the Portsmouth Trojans on Wednesday.
Ironton took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
Gage Salyers doubled and Brycen Thomas had an RBI single. Garrett Carrico and Ethan Duncan followed with singles to score Thomas.
Portsmouth used two walks, two hit batsmen and a sacrifice fly by Jack Workman to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.
A single, a walk and a two-base error gave the Trojans a 4-2 lead in the second.
Isaac Kelly singled and scored on an error and the Trojans led 5-2 in the third.
Ironton got a run back in the fifth when Salyers singled, Thomas walked and Duncan had an RBI single.
Portsmouth scored two insurance runs in the sixth on a hit by Zach Bayse, an error, and hits by William Sturgill and Kelly.
The Fighting Tigers scored their final run in the seventh when Salyers singled, Thomas was safe on an error and Carrico hit a sacrifice fly.
Ironton outhit the Trojans 8-7 with Salyers going 3-4 with a double, Duncan 2-4 with two RBI and Carrico 1-2 and two RBI.
Ironton hosts South Point on Friday in a league game.
Ironton 200 010 1 = 4 8 5
Portsmouth 221 002 x = 7 7 2
Brycen Thomas, Tanner Bowles (2), Gage Salyers (6) and Collin Freeman. Reece Johnson and Hayden Yeradi. W-Johnson (K-6, BB-2, ER-3). L-Thomas (IP-1.1, H-1, R-4, ER-2, K-2, BB-3). Bowles (IP-4.0, H-5, R-3, ER-0, K-2, BB-0). Salyers (IP-0.2, H-1, K-1, BB-0). Hitting-Ironton: Gage Salyers 3-4 2B, Brycen Thomas 1-3, Garrett Carrico 1-2 2-rbi, Ethan Duncan 2-4 2-rbi, Ayden Barnes 1-3 2B; PHS: William Sturgill 2-4, Isaac Kelly 2-3 2-rbi, Jack Workman 1-2 rbi, Zach Bayse 2-3.