Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

The Ironton Fighting Tigers are off to a good start. Knock on wood.

Wood bats, that is.

The Fighting Tigers used good pitching and timely hitting to beat the Symmes Valley Vikings 4-3 in 10 innings and the Cross Lane Christian Warriors 5-1 in the third annual Mike Burcham Wood Bat Classic on Saturday.

Dane Wilson went the distance to beat the Vikings as he struck out nine, walked three, gave up six hits and none of the runs were earned.

Garrett Carrico had a complete game win in the second game against Cross Lanes.

Carrico gave up five hits, struck out nine, walked just one and the run was unearned.

“Dane Wilson pitched really well. Both teams battled for 10 innings and we finally got a clutch hit in the bottom of the 10th to win the game,” said Ironton coach Larry Goodwin.

Ironton fell behind 3-1 in the top of the 10th inning against the Vikings but rallied in the bottom of the frame for the win.

In the bottom of the 10th, Kyle Kleinman was hit by a pitch, Travis Gayhart walked and Cody Rawlins singled for a run. Ethan Duncan followed with a two-run double to end the game.

The Vikings took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the top of the 10th.

With one out, Nate Klaiber walked, Cameron Meadows singled, they moved up on a ground out and both scored when Chayden Renfroe reached on an error.

Ironton took a 1-0 lead in the third inning with no outs when Rawlins walked and Duncan and Wilson singled.

Symmes Valley tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh to force extra innings.

Blake Bowen reached on an error, Derik Brace put down a sacrifice bunt and Laykin Gothard had an RBI double.

Duncan went 3-5 with two runs batted in. Gothard and Meadows were 2-5 for the Vikings.

In the second game, the Fighting Tigers used a four-run sixth inning to snap a 1-1 tie in their win over Cross Lanes.

“It was not pretty, but we got the win,” said Goodwin.

“We have some work to do to get where we want to be. There were some bright spots. Garrett pitched well and we had some timely hits.”

Ironton took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Wilson tripled and scored on a wild pitch.

Cross Lanes tied the game in the fifth. Robbie Johnson walked, Matthew Carpenter singled and then Johnson stole third and scored on an error.

In the fourth, Carrico singled, stole second and came home on a double by Hunter Klaiber for a 2-1 lead. Klaiber went to third on a throwing error.

An out later, Kyle Kleinman singled to put runners on the corners and then Travis Gayhart’s sacrifice scored Klaiber.

Duncan walked and Rawlins singled for a run.

Klaiber, Wilson and Rawlins were all 2-3 to lead Ironton.

Ironton hosts St. Joseph on Wednesday.

Sym. Valley 000 000 100 2 = 3 6 2

Ironton 001 000 000 3 = 4 7 7

Chayden Renfroe, Laykin Gothard (6), Jase Patterson (10) and Cameron Meadows. Dane Wilson and Bryce Thomas. W-Wilson (K9, BB-3, ER-0). L-Gothard (IP-4.1, K-4, BB-4, R-3, ER-3, H-2). Renfroe IP-5, K-4, BB-5, H-4, R-1, ER-1. Patterson H-1. Hitting-SV: Laykin Gothard 2-5 rbi 2B, Nick Klaiber 1-3, Cameron Meadows 2-5, Shawn Belville 1-3; Ironton: Dane Wilson 1-4, Bryce Thomas 1-4 rbi, Aaron Jackson 1-4, Cody Rawlins 1-3 rbi, Ethan Duncan 3-5 rbi-2 2B.

Second Game

Cross Lanes 000 010 0 = 1 5 1

Ironton 100 004 x = 5 8 2

Elijah Stepp, Christian Kennedy (6), Reed Fisher (6) and xxx. Garrett Carrico and Bryce Thomas. W-Carrico (K-9, BB-1, ER-0). L-Kennedy (K-1, BB-0, R-2, ER-2, H-2). Stepp IP-5, K-6, BB-1, R-1, ER-1, H-4. Fisher IP-0.2, R-2, ER-1, K-0, BB-1. Hitting-CLC: B ryson French 1-3, Zach Matheny 1-3, Matthew Carpenter 2-2, Bryce Atkins 1-1; Ironton: Dane Wilson 2-3 3B, Garrett Carrico 1-3, Hunter Klaiber 2-3 rbi 2B, Kyle Kleinman 1-3, Cody Rawlins 2-3 rbi.