Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WELLSTON — Hmmm. Maybe it is how you start.
The Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers ignored the “it’s not how you start but how you finish” cliché as they jumped out to an 11-1 lead and went on to beat the Wellston Lady Golden Rockets 12-8 on Monday.
Bella Sorbilli started and finished strong to lead the Lady Tigers. Sorbilli went 3-for-4 including a grand slam home run and four runs batted in.
Kylee Richendollar was 1-3 with a double and 3 RBIs, Graycie Brammer 1-4 and 2 RBIs as Ironton banged out 9 hits.
Ironton (3-0) scored 8 runs in the first inning and 3 more in the third and coasted the rest of the game.
Brammer walked, Kirsten Williams and Keegan Moore singled to load the bases and Richendollar doubled for 2 runs. Kiandra Martin walked to load the bases and Emily Weber walked to force in a run. Holly Dutey was hit by a pitch for an RBI setting the stage for Sorbilli who hit a grand slam home run over the fence in left field.
Moore gave up a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to Chloe Johnson but struck out 4 of the 6 outs she recorded before giving way to Braylin Wallace who went the final 5 innings.
Ironton got 3 runs in the top of the third with two outs.
Dutey, Sorbilli and Brammer all singled for a run. Williams and Moore walked to score Sorbilli and Richendollar walked to drive in Brammer.
Sadie Henry’s 2-out single in the bottom of the third and an error enabled Wellston to score 2 more runs and it was 11-5.
The Lady Tigers did add a run in the seventh inning on singles by Sorbilli and Kirsten Williams and Brammer’s RBI ground out.
Wellston had single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Ironton travels to Leesburg Fairfield for a tri-game event on Saturday.
Ironton 803 000 1 = 12 9 1
Wellston 104 011 1 = 8 11 2
Keegan Moore, Braylin Wallace (3) and Graycie Brammer. Not available. W-Moore (IP-2, H-2, R-1, ER-1, K-4, BB-1). Wallace (IP-5.0, H- 9, R-7, ER-5, K-5, BB-3). Hitting-Ironton: Graycie Brammer 1-4 2-RBI, Kirsten Williams 1-4, Keegan Moore 1-3 RBI, Kylee Richendollar 1-3 2B 3-RBI, Emily Weber RBI, Holly Dutey 1-1 RBI, Katelyn Williams 1-1, Bella Sorbilli 3-4 GS 4-RBI; WHS: Makenna Kilgor 2-4, Neveah Ousley 2-4, Chloe Johnson 2-4 2B HR 2-RBI, Kamryn Karr 1-4, Sadie Henry 1-2 2-RBI, Potts 1-3, Alyssa Peterson 2-2.