Tuesday, April 25, 2000

Lloyd, Ky. – The bats were alive, and so was Mark Mains’ arm. Led by Chad Parker and Josh Harmon, Ironton collected 11 hits to back the pitching of Mains as the Fighting Tigers whipped the Greenup County Musketeers 14-6 Monday.

Parker slammed a pair of home runs and Harmon went 2-for-4 with a home run and four runs batted in.

Mains picked up a complete game victory with a season-high 10 strikeouts as he pitched a four-hitter. Mains did walk six and three of the four hits were home runs.

"Mark threw pretty well. He threw as hard at the end of the game as he did at the start," Ironton coach Mark Lewis said. "It looks like our bats are coming around. Parker is ripping the ball, and Harmon had a good game. It was a good win."

Ironton (7-4) got a run in the first when Drew Mains doubled and Harmon singled.

Ryan Hall homered in the bottom of the inning to tie the game.

The Fighting Tigers took the lead for good with three runs in the second.

Greg Mountain doubled and Matt Johnson tripled for the first run, and Jon Sites singled home Johnson. Sites moved up on a wild pitch, took third on Drew Mains’ infield hit, and scored when Greenup pitcher Jeff Martin threw the ball away at first.

Parker belted a home run to start the third to make it 4-1. Jimmy Peyton and Mountain walked and eventually scored on a base hit by Clark Cooper.

Tony Harris homered after Hall walked in the bottom of the inning and it was 6-4.

Parker clubbed his second home run in the fourth and it was 7-4, and Ironton put the game away with five runs in the fifth.

Cooper walked and Johnson put down a sacrifice bunt. The ball was thrown away at first and rolled down the right field line allowing both runs to score.

Sites was hit by a pitch, Drew Mains singled, and Harmon smacked a three-run homer to right center.

Harris hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning and Greenup now trailed 13-6.

The final Ironton run scored in the seventh when Harmon walked and came around to score on a throwing error.

Drew Mains went 3-5 while Mountain and Johnson were 1-2.

The Fighting Tigers host Spring Valley at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Ironton 133 150 1 – 14 11 2

Greenup 102 030 0 – 6 4 4

Mark Mains and Jon Sites. Jeff Martin, Josh Roberts (4), Russell Moore (6) and Joe Kendall. W-Mains (10-K, 6-W). L-Martin. 2B-Ironton: Greg Mountain; GC: Ryan Hall. 3B-Ironton: Matt Johnson. HR-Ironton: Chad Parker 2, Josh Harmon; GC: Ryan Hall, Tony Harris 2. SB-Ironton: Josh Harmon 3, Jimmy Peyton, Greg Mountain. Balk-Roberts. HBP-by Mains (Martin). WP-Martin, Moore, Mains. DP-Ironton 1. Sac-Ironton: Matt Johnson; GC: Danny Dillow. Hitting-Ironton: Jon Sites 1-3, Drew Mains 3-5, Josh Harmon 2-4 (4 RBI), Chad Parker 2-4 (2 RBI), Greg Mountain 1-2, Clark Cooper 1-4 (2 RBI), Matt Johnson 1-2; GC: Ryan Hall 2-3, Tony Harris 2-4 (5 RBI).