Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Austin Browning is starting to get into pitching shape.
After missing last season, Browning has been working his pitching arm into shape and it seemed fit on Friday as he threw a three-hitter in the Chesapeake Panthers’ 8-3 Ohio Valley Conference win over the Ironton Fighting Tigers.
Browning struck out six and walked five in going the distance for the first time this season. He also had a double and scored a run.
“He threw his curveball for strikes and that helped,” said Panthers’ coach Justin Davis.
“We had some quality at-bats out of our lineup. It was probably our most complete game.”
Chesapeake went in front 3-0 in the first inning.
Browning doubled, Trent Dearth singled, and Browning scored on a double steal.
Thomas Sentz and Jonah Ridenour walked and Dearth scored on a wild pitch. Devin Stevens then hit a sacrifice fly.
The Panthers got three more runs in the second.
Levi Best singled, Browning was hit by a pitch and Dearth singled to load the bases.
Best scored on a wild pitch and Sentz grounded out to drive in Browning.
Travis Grimm then walked and Ridenour singled home a run.
Chesapeake added a run in the fourth when Best doubled, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Browning’s sacrifice fly.
Ironton got its first hit when Cameron Deere led off the fourth inning with a triple.
Ethan Duncan then walked and Beau Brownstead hit a sacrifice fly.
Jacob Sloan and Nolan Schreck drew two-out walks to load the bases and Gunnar Crawford singled home two runs.
The Panthers tacked on a run in the seventh when Dearth singled, stole second and scored on an error.
Dearth went 3-3 while Ridenour and Best were 2-3.
Crawford was 2-2 and two RBI for Ironton (6-9, 3-4).
Chesapeake 330 100 1 = 8 9 0
Ironton 000 300 0 = 3 3 0
Austin Browning and Jonah Ridenour. Nolan Schreck, Kyle Howell (1), Ashton Duncan (6) and Brycen Thomas. W-Browning (ER-3, K-6, BB-5). L-Schreck (IP-0.2, H-2, R-3, ER-3, BB-3). Howell (IP-4.2, H-5, R-4, ER-4, K-4, BB-3). A. Duncan (IP-1.2, H-2, R-1, K-2). Hitting-Chesy: Austin Browning 1-3 2B, Trent Dearth 3-3, Travis Grimm 1-3, Jonah Ridenour 2-3 rbi, Devin Stevens rbi, Levi Best 2-3 2B; Ironton: Cameron Deere 1-3 3B, Gunnar Crawford 2-2 2-rbi.