By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Evidently, there is some jealousy developing on the Ironton Fighting Tigers.

The pitching has been very good lately so the bats must have gotten a little jealous. The bats took care of feeling snubbed on Tuesday with 14 hits en route to a 10-4 win over the Ashland Tomcats.

Eight different players got hits led by Trevor Kleinman who was 3-4 with 2 doubles and 3 runs batted in. Ian Ginger also went 3-4 with a double and Jon Wylie was 2-3 with 2 RBI.

Brady Moatz was 2-3 with an RBI, Cole Freeman 1-4 with a double, Hunter Freeman 1-2 and an RBI, Connor Kleinman 1-2 and Chaydan Kerns 1-2 with a sacrifice.

Connor Kleinman worked 4 innings of scoreless relief to get the win as he gave up just 2 hits.

The Fighting Tigers (6-0) didn’t waste any time getting on the scoreboard as they scored 3 times in the bottom of the first.

Ginger singled, Cole Freeman doubled, Wylie was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Trevor Kleinman unloaded a double to score 2 runs.

Moatz beat out an infield hit on a hard-hit ball to third to re-load the bases. Braydon Baker hit into a double play but Hunter Freeman singled to score Kleinman.

The inning ended when Moatz was thrown out at home trying to score on the hit.

Ashland (5-13) came back to get an unearned run in the second.

Drew Kelley reached on a one-out error, Rheyce Deboard drew a 2-out walk and Ryan Brown had an RBI single.

The Tomcats kept their offense going in the third inning as they rallied to take a 4-3 lead.

Colin Howard walked and Sawyer Edens and Brady Marushi each singled to scored Howard.

Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and after Jayce Mays lined out at first base, Kelley lined an RBI single and Marushi scored on a wild pitch for the final run.

But Ironton’s offense answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game when Trevor Kleinman and Moatz singled, Baker walked and Kleinman scooted home on a passed ball.

Ironton regained the lead for good in the fourth with 3 runs.

Kerns and Ginger started the inning with back-to-back singles, moved up on a ground out and both scored when Wylie singled on a 3-2 pitch.

Trevor Kleinman lined a double to left field that scored Wylie and it was 7-4.

The Fighting Tigers came back to score 2 more runs in the fifth to take a 9-4 lead.

Hunter Freeman was hit by a pitch leading off, Connor Kleinman walked and Kerns sacrificed the runners up a base. Ginger followed with a single to left scoring Kleinman and courtesy runner Tanner Patrick.

Ironton added some more insurance in the sixth when Wylie singled, went all the way to third base on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by Moatz.

Ironton visits Fairland Wednesday in a battle for first place in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Ashland 013 000 0 = 4 7 0

Ironton 301 321 x = 10 14 1

Jayce Mays, Kyle Cordial (6) and Parker Church. Cole Freeman, Connor Kleinman (4) and Hunter Freeman. W-C. Kleinman (IP-4.0, H-2, R-0, K-0, BB-0). C. Freeman (IP-3.0, H-5, R-4, ER-3, K-2, BB-3, WP-2). L-Mays (IP-5.0, H-13, R-9, ER-9, K-0, BB-2, HBP-2). Cordial (IP-1.0, H-1, R-1, ER-0, K-0, BB-0). Hitting-Ashland: Ryan Brown 2-4 RBI, LaBryant Strader 1-4, Colin Howard 1-2, Sawyer Edens 1-2, Brady Marushi 1-3 RBI, Drew Kelley 1-3 RBI; Ironton: Ian Ginger 3-4 2B, Cole Freeman 1-4 2B, Jon Wylie 2-3 2-RBI, Trevor Kleinman 3-4 2-2B 3-RBI, Brady Moatz 2-3 RBI, Hunter Freeman 1-2 RBI, Connor Kleinman 1-2, Chaydan Kerns 1-2.