Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PROCTORVILLE — Tyler Malone is no hero, but he did come to the rescue.
With five Ohio Valley Conference games on the schedule  this week, Malone stepped in and pitched four strong innings as the Ironton Fighting Tigers rolled past the Fairland Dragons 14-2 in five innings on Tuesday.
Malone went four innings before Ethan Duncan pitched a scoreless fifth inning. Malone struck out two, walked none, gave up both runs and allowed five hits.
Duncan struck out two and gave up one hit.
“Our pitching was going to have a lot of pressure on it this week. No one is that deep, but Tyler really gave us a shot in the arm. That was a good effort by him and Ethan Duncan came in and pitched a good inning to close it out,” said Ironton coach Red Burcham.
“We hit the ball well and got a lot of production all through the line. We need to keep working and try to improve.”
Ironton (8-2-1, 5-1-1) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
With two outs, Dane Wilson singled, moved up on a wild pitch and score on a hit by Gage Salyers. Another wild pitch moved Salyers up and he scored when Kyle Kleinman reached on an error.
The lead went to 8-0 in the third inning.
Brycen Thomas walked, Wilson was hit by a pitch, Salyers, Kleinman and Larry Morris singled, Malone walked, and Drake Williams and Garrett Carrico both singled.
The Fighting Tigers added a run in the fourth when Wilson singled, stole second and scored when Salyers grounded out.
Fairland got its two runs in the fourth when Zach Crawford, Dairus Stapleton, Eli Bowen and Reilly Sowards all singled.
Ironton then ended the game early with a five-run fifth inning.
Salyers and Kleinman swung the big bats as Salyers went 3-4 with three runs and two RBI while Kleinman was 2-4 with four RBI. Carrico was 2-4, Morris 2-3 and Wilson was 2-3 with four runs scored.
Dairus Stapleton was 2-3 for Fairland.
The two teams meet at Ironton on Wednesday.
Ironton       206    15    =    14    14    1
Fairland    000    20    =    2    6    3
Tyler Malone, Ethan Duncan (5) and Brycen Thomas. Zach Crawford, Garrett Looney (4) and Eli Bowen. W-Malone (IP-4.0, K-2, BB-0). Duncan (IP-1.0, K-2, BB-0). L-Crawford (IP-3.0, K-3, BB-2). Looney (IP-2.0, K-2, BB-1). Hitting-Ironton: Garrett Carrico 2-4, Dane Wilson 2-3 4-R, Gage Salyers 3-4, Klyle Kleinman 2-4 4-RBI, Larry Morris 2-3, Drake Williams 1-2; FHS: Tayten Hunt 1-3, Zach Crawford 1-3, Dairus Stapleton 2-2, Eli Bowen 1-2, Reilly Sowards 1-3.