By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

MASON — David Bowie and Queen teamed up for the song “Under Pressure.” The Ironton Fighting Tigers worked as a team and kept the pressure on the Cincinnati Christian Cougars.

The Fighting Tigers pressured the Cougars throughout the game as they banged out 15 hits en route to an 11-5 win in the Division 5 regional tournament semifinals on Tuesday.

Ironton (19-3) will play the St. Paris Graham  Falcons at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at Mason High School with the winner advancing to next Friday’s state semifinal at 7 p.m. at Akron Canal Park. The championship game would be at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

St. Paris (22-10) blanked Miami Valley Christian Academy 7-0 on a two-hitter by Hayden Vanhoose in Tuesday’s first game.

“The kids looked very good today. We kept the pressure on all game long. We hit the ball and Ian Ginger had a hard shot for a triple,” said Ironton coach John Hunt.

Ironton went ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning as Bryson Kerns walked, Tyler Roach singled, Kerns went to third on a double play and scored when Jacob Hughes doubled.

Cincinnati Christian Cougars (15-13) took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning.

With one out, Jonah Wilson singled, stole second and scored on Peter Marsh’s base hit. Marsh stole second and third and came home on an overthrow.

Ironton regained the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Kerns singled, Roach walked and Ginger tripled home both runners. Hughes followed with an RBI single.

The Cougars cut the deficit to 4-3 in the top of the fifth on a double by Tyion Colegrove, a ground out and Nick Birch hit a sacrifice fly.

But the Fighting Tigers scored six times in the fifth to open up a 10-3 lead.

Kerns was hit by a pitch leading off, Roach singled and Ginger singled for a run. Hughes, Baker and Tanner Kleinman all followed with base hits. Following a strikeout, Carson Freeman grounded out for an RBI and Kerns capped the rally with a base hit.

Ironton tacked on a run in the sixth when Ginger walked, stole second, took third on a hit by Baker and scored when Kleinman hit a sacrifice fly.

The Cougars final two runs scored in the seventh.

Colegrove singled, stole second and came home on a hit by Marsh. After Marsh moved up  on a ground out, Kael Starks hit an RBI single to left field.

But Philyaw came on and struck out the next two batters to end the game.

“Overall, we played very well. Baker got us into the sixth inning and was pretty gassed, so I had Jacob Hughes and Dawson Philyaw warm up. We wanted both ready in case we needed both,” said Hunt.

“Jacob got us through the sixth and one out in the seventh. Philyaw came in and got the last two outs.”

Baker worked five innings to get the win. He gave up 3 hits, 3 earned runs with 4 strikeouts and 4 walks. Hughes went 1.1 innings with 3 hits, 2 earned runs and 2 walks. Philyaw struck out both the batters he faced.

Gingers was 2-3 with a triple and 3 runs batted in, Kerns 2-2 with 2 RBI, Hughes 3-4 with a double, Baker 2-4 with an RBI, Kleinman 1-3 and 2 RBI, Bridges 2-4 and and Freedom was 1-4 with an RBI.

Birch started and lost for the Cougars as he gave up 7 hits, 4 earned runs and only one strikeout and two hits.

Cin. Christian 002 010 2 = 5 6 0

Ironton         103 061 x = 11 15 1

Nick Birch, Kael Starks (5), Seth Halsey (6) and Bradyn Bayes. Braydon Baker, Jacob Hughes (6), Dawson Philyaw (7) and Jacob Hughes, Ethan Sutton (6). W–Baker (IP-5.0, H-3, R-3, ER-3, K-4, BB-4). Hughes (IP-1.1, H-3, R-2-ER-2, K-0, BB-2, HBP-1). Philyaw (IP-0.2, H-0, R-0, K-2, BB-0).  L–Birch (IP-4.0, H-7, R-4, ER-4, K-1, BB-2, WP-1). Starks (IP-1.0, H-6, R-6, ER-6, K-2 BB-1, HBP-1). Halsey (IP-1.0, H-2, R-1, ER-1, K-1, BB-1). Hitting–Cin. Christian: Peter Marsh 1-3 RBI, Nick Birch RBI, Kael Starks 1-3 2-RBI, Jackson Hanauer 1-2, Jonah Wilson 1-3, Tyion Colegrove 2-3 2B; Ironton: Bryson Kerns 2-2 2-RBI, Tyler Roach 2-3, Ian Ginger 2-3, 3-RBI 3B, Jacob Hughes 3-4 2-RBI 2B, Braydon Baker 2-4 RBI, Tanner Kleinman 1-3 2-RBI, Carter Bridges 2-4, Carson Freeman 1-4 RBI.