Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

OLIVE HILL, Ky. — Take a closer look. The Ironton Fighting Tigers’ character is showing through.
After handing Fairland its first conference loss on Wednesday, Ironton rallied for five runs in the seventh inning to beat the West Carter Comets 11-9 on Thursday.
Ironton (9-11) had 12 hits led by Beau Brownstead who was 2-2 with three runs batted in. Ryan Ashley was 2-2 with an RBI, Cameron Deere 2-3 with a double and Kyle Howell 2-5 with a double and RBI.
Ironton snapped a scoreless tie with four runs in the third inning.
Nolan Schreck and Jacob Sloan singled to start the inning and Howell had an RBI single. Deere singled to load the bases and Brycen Thomas hit a sacrifice fly.
Ethan Duncan reached on an error as a run scored, Gunnar Crawford walked and Ashley had an RBI single.
West Carter (14-9) got a run in the bottom of the fourth when Dominick Hinton tripled and scored on Hunter Jessie’s ground out.
The Comets then got six runs in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead.
Two singles and an error loaded the bases and Ethan Adkins had an RBI single. Trevor Callahan then got the big blow with a grand slam home run.
Trace Tackett later doubled, moved up on a passed ball and scored on a ground out.
Ironton cut the deficit to 7-6 with two runs in the sixth when Ashley was hit by a pitch, Collin Freeman singled and Brownstead singled in a run. Freeman scored on a passed ball.
The Fighting Tigers took the lead with five runs in the seventh.
Deere and Thomas walked and Duncan singled to drive in the tying run. Ashley walked to load the bases and Freeman walked to force in the go-ahead run.
Brownstead singled in two more runs and Freeman scored on an error.
The Comets got two runs in the bottom of the inning on three walks, an RBI single by Sam Jones and Jackson Bond’s sacrifice fly before reliever Ashton Duncan got a fly out to left to end the game.
Blake Stuntebeck got the in relief while Ashland Duncan picked up the save.
Ironton 004 002 5 = 11 12 2
West Carter 000 160 2 = 9 10 2
Brycen Thomas, Blake Stuntebeck (5), Ashton Duncan (7) and Collin Freeman, Brycen Thomas (6). Caleb Lambert and Sam Jones. W-Stuntebeck (IP-1.2, H-0, R-1, ER-1, BB-2). Save-A. Duncan (IP-1.0, H-2, R-2, ER-2, K-1, BB-3). Thomas (IP-4.1, H-8, R-6, ER-4, K-3, BB-2). L-Lambert (ER-9, K-6, BB-5). Hitting-Ironton: Kyle Howell 2-5 2B rbi, Cameron Deere 2-3 2B, Brycen Thomas rbi, Ethan Duncan 1-4 2-rbi, Ryan Ashley 2-2 rbi, Collin Freeman 1-3 rbi, Nolan Schreck 1-2, Beau Brownstead 2-2 3-rbi, Jacob Sloan 1-4; WC: Ben Wilburn 1-5, Ethan Adkins 1-3, Trevor Callahan 3-4 2B GS 6-rbi, Trace Tackett 1-5 2B, Dominick Hinton 1-3 3B, Sam Jones 2-4 2-rbi, Jackson Bond 1-3 rbi.