Being behind became a painful pattern.

The pitchers pitched behind in the count and Ironton found itself behind early and late as the Fighting Tigers fell 9-7 Tuesday to the Wheelersburg Pirates.

"We hit the ball pretty well. I was pleased with our run production," Ironton coach Mark Lewis said.

"Our pitching was okay, but we were behind in the count too much and we were forced to come in with a good pitch. We have to do a better job of throwing strikes."

Because of last week's cold and rainy weather, the game officially marked Ironton's first contest of the season. Wheelersburg improved to 3-0.

An error proved to be the difference.

Ironton led 6-5 going into the sixth inning. With two outs, the Pirates Nathan Timberlake singled, stole second and scored when Tyler Suter's ground ball was booted for an error allowing the tying run to score.

Brandon White followed with a base hit and Josh Cowgill hit a three-run homer for a 9-6 lead.

Ironton got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Kevin Williams walked, moved up on a balk, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Nick Collins' infield base hit.

After reliever Greg Linn blanked the Pirates in the top of the seventh inning, the Fighting Tigers mounted a rally in their half of the frame.

Chris Collins and Ryan Walker walked and moved up on a passed ball. But a called third strike and fly out ended the game and Ironton's comeback hopes.

The Fighting Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Josh Sands and Josh Adkins singled. A throwing error scored Sands and a ground out by Nick Collins drove in Adkins.

The Pirates scored four times in the second as Cowgill had an RBI double and Timberlake a two-run single.

Chris Collins manufactured a run in the third as he walked, went to second on

a passed ball, took third on a fly out

and came home on an outfield throwing error.

The Fighting Tigers tied the game in the third inning as Williams singled and Nick Collins doubled.

After Wheelersburg took a 6-5 lead in the fourth inning, Ironton tied the game in the sixth. Williams walked, moved up on a balk, went to third on a wild pitch and came home when Nick Collins beat out an infield hit.

Wheelersburg0401040-9113

Ironton2111110-792

Justin Stegman, Devon Miller (4), Jesse Peters (5), Brandon Jackson (7) and Brandon White. Nick Collins, Kevin Williams (3), Greg Linn (7) and Dustin Preston. W-Peters (3-K, 2-W). Save-Jackson (2-K, 1-W). L-Kevin Williams (5-K, 4-W, 1-ER). 2B-Wh: Josh Cowgill, Ian Miller; Ironton: Nick Collins. 3B-Ironton: Josh Sands. HR-Wh: Josh Cowgill. SB-Wh: Justin Parlin, Nathan Timberlake 2, Josh Cowgill; Ironton: Kevin Williams. Sac-Wh: Justin Parlin.