Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHESAPEAKE — The Ironton Fighting Tigers and Chesapeake Panthers wanted to get in some work before the sectional tournament began on Tuesday.
The teams got plenty of work in just five innings of the rain-shortened game as Ironton beat Chesapeake 11-9 on Saturday.
Ironton (12-14) went up 2-0 in the top of the first inning.
Brycen Thomas walked, Ethan Duncan singled and Kyle Howell walked to load the bases.
Cameron Deere reached on an error that scored Thomas and Beau Brownstead walked to force home a run.
The Panthers got a run back in the bottom of the inning.
Trent Dearth walked, moved up on a ground out, took third on defensive indifference and scored on a wild pitch.
Ironton came back with a run in the second.
Ashton Duncan was hit by a pitch, Collin Freeman sacrificed him to second and Ethan Duncan doubled his brother home.
Chesapeake rallied to take the lead with five runs in the bottom of the second on just two hits.
A.J. Littreal doubled and scored on Jared Bacon’s single. Dearth walked and the runners pulled off a double steal and scored on the same wild pitch.
Travis Grim and Austin Browning were both hit by pitches and Jonah Ridenour was safe on an error as Grim scored. Another error allowed Ridenour to score.
But Ironton answered with four runs in the third inning to regain the lead at 7-6.
Cameron Deere singled and went to second on an error. He scored on Ryan Ashley’s base hit.
Brownstead singled to put runners on the corners and then stole second. Jacob Sloan singled home Ashley and sent Brownstead to third. Thomas then delivered a clutch two-out, two-run signed.
It was Chesapeake’s turn to rally and take the lead with three runs in the fourth on no hits.
Grim walked, Browning reached on an error to put runners at second and third where they scored when Jonah Ridenour was safe on an error.
Ridenour took third on defensive indifference and scored on a throwing error.
The Fighting Tigers regained the lead for a second time with four runs in the fifth.
Blake Stuntebeck and Thomas walked and Ethan Duncan singled home courtesy runner Will York.
Howell was walked intentionally and a throwing error on a pickoff play scored two runs. Howell then scored on a wild pitch.
The Panthers mounted a rally in the bottom of the inning when Levi Best walked, Dearth reached on an error and Thomas Sentz had a bunt single.
But Ironton reliever Ethan Duncan struck out three straight batters to end the game.
Stuntebeck work a third and fourth innings for the win as he struck out four, walked two, gave up one hit, and three of the six runs were unearned.
Ethan Duncan struck out three and gave up a hit in one inning of work to get the save. He also went 3-4 with a double and two runs batted in as Ironton had eight hits.
The Panthers were limited to four hits. However, Ironton pitchers gave up seven walks, hit three batters and the defense made six errors.
Ironton 214 04 = 11 8 6
Chesapeake 150 3x = 9 4 3
Ashton Duncan and Brycen Thomas. A.J. Littreall and Jonah Ridenour. W-Stuntebeck (IP-2.0, H-1, R-3, ER-0, K-4, BB-2). Save-E. Duncan (IP-1.0, H-1, K-3, BB-1). A. Duncan (IP-2.0, H-2, R-6, ER-3, K-2, BB-4, HBP-3). L-Dearth (IP-1.2, H-1, R-4, ER-3, K-2, BB-6). Littreal (IP-3.1, H-7, R-7, ER-6, K-4, BB-3, HBP-1). Hitting-Ironton: Brycen Thomas 1-2 2-rbi, Ethan Duncan 3-4 2B 2-rbi, Cameron Deere 1-2 rbi, Ryan Ashley 1-3 rbi, Beau Brownstead 1-2 rbi, Jacob Sloan 1-3 rbi; Chesy: Trent Dearth 1-2, Thomas Sentz 1-3, A.J. Littreal 1-2 2B, Jared Bacon 1-3 rbi.