By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

COAL GROVE — Just like Little Ceasar’s Pizza, Chaydan Kerns and Connor Kleinman provided a little extra most.

Kerns had 2 more extra base hits and drove in a career-high 5 runs while Kleinman pitched a one-hitter to lead the Ironton Fighting Tigers 12-0 Ohio Valley Conference win over the Coal Grove Hornets on Saturday.

Kerns  — who went 2-for-4 — has 11 hits on the season that includes 8 doubles and 2 tripled.

“It felt good,” Kerns said of his record RBI total. “I do get a lot of doubles and it never really seems like I hit any singles.”

Kleinman struck out 7 and walked 3 over the 5 innings. Coal Grove’s only hit was a 2-out single in the first inning by Derrick Bloomfield on an 0-1 pitch.

After a scoreless first inning, Ironton (9-4, 7-4) got a run in the second inning when Trevor Kleinman walked, stole second, took third on a ground out and came home on a wild pitch.

The Fighting Tigers pushed across 4 runs int he third inning to open up a 5-0 lead.

With one out, Connor Kleinman and Ian Ginger singled. Kerns followed with a double as both runners scored.

Brady Moatz was hit by a pitch, Kerns went to third base on a passed ball and Moatz then stole second. Trevor Kleinman grounded out as the Kerns scored and Cole Freeman followed with an RBI single.

The Fighting Tigers blew the game open with 6 runs in the fourth inning.

Hunter Freeman reached on an error and scored on a double by Braydon Baker. Connor Kleinman got an infield hit to put runners on the corners.

Ginger was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Kerns promptly unloaded them with his second double of the game.

Moatz singled home Kerns, moved to second on a hit by Tanner Patrick, Hunter Freeman walked and Moatz scored on a passed ball.

Ironton’s final run scored in the fifth when Baker walked, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a hit by Ginger.

Connor Kleinman and Ginger each went 2-3 as Ironton had 11 hits. Baker was 1-2 with an RBI, Patrick 1-1, Carson Freeman 1-3 and Cole Freeman 1-3 with an RBI.

On Monday, Ironton travels to Rock Hill while Coal Grove entertains Gallipolis in OVC games.

Ironton     014 61 = 12 11 0

Coal Grove 000 00 = 0 1 1

Connor Kleinman and Hunter Freeman. Kaleb Schwab, Landon Davis (4) and Landen Riley. W-Kleinman (IP-5.0, H-1, R-0, K-7, BB-3). L-Schwab (IP-31, H-10, R-11, ER-9, K-0, BB-1, HB)-2, WP-1). Davis (IP-1.2, H-1, R-1, ER-1, K-1, BB-2, WP-1). Hitting-Ironton: Ian Ginger 2-3 RBI, Chaydan Kerns 2-4 2-2B 5-RBI, Brady Moatz 1-2 RBI, Trevor Kleinman RBI, Tanner Patrick 1-1, Cole Freeman 1-3 RBI, Carson Freeman 1-3, Braydon Baker 1-2 2B RBI, Connor Kleinman 2-3; Coal Grove: Derrick Bloomfield 1-2.