Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

If the other team doesn’t score, you don’t lose too many.
Mary Beth Burton lived up to that old adage as she pitched a three-hit shutout and the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers beat the Wellston Lady Golden Rockets 7-0 in the season opener on Monday.
Burton struck out four and walked two in going the distance.
“Mary Beth Burton came out strong and never let up,” said Ironton coach Missy Fields.
“The girls gave a lot of hustle and effort tonight. They played aggressively on the bases. We still have some work to do, but overall I am pleased with their play tonight.”
Ironton had 10 hits with Riley Schreck going 3-for-3, Kenzie Cremeens 2-3 with a double, Peighton Rowe 2-3, Burton 1-2 with a double and Demi Sands and Haylee Stevens 1-3 each.
Ironton got all the runs it needed in the first inning by taking a 4-0 lead.
Cremeens doubled and Rowe, Schreck, Sands and Stevens singled and an error on an attempted steal allowed a run to score.
The lead went to 5-0 in the second when Cremeens singled win one out, stole second and scored on Rowe’s base hit.
In the third, Schreck singled, Burton walked and a run scored on a passed ball.
The final run scored in the fifth on a two-out single by Schreck and an RBI double by Burton.
Ironton’s next scheduled game is at Gallipolis on Friday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.
Wellston    000    000    0    =    0    3    3
Ironton       411    010    x    =    7    10    1
Ashley Compton and Kendra Coleman. Mary Beth Burton and Kenzie Cremeens. W-Burton (4-K, 2-BB). L-Compton (8-K, 1-BB). Hitting-Wellston: Ashley Compton 1-2, Kendra Coleman 1-3, Kilgore 1-3; Ironton: Kenzie Cremeens 2-3 2B, Peighton Rowe 2-3, Riley Schreck 3-3, Mary Beth Burton 1-2 2B, Demi Sands 1-3, Haylee Stevens 1-3.