By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

There’s an old Army song called “And Those Caissons Go Rolling Along.”

A caisson is a chest or wagon carrying ammunition. Well, the Ironton 8-10-year-old All-Stars had their own pitching wagon with Kayson Phillips carrying the ammunition as he went rolling along in a 9-1 win over the Wheelersburg All-Stars in the District 11 winner’s bracket championship game.

Phillips struck out 8, walked just one and threw just 71 pitches as he allowed one unearned run.

Wheelersburg took a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the first inning, but Ironton finally got its offense going in the fifth inning after a pitching change and scored 8 runs.

Crew Townsend started the inning with a walk, Jude Lucas was safe on a bunt single and Brigham Compliment walked to load the bases.

Mason Holtzapfel walked to force in the tying run, T.A. Sands singled home 2 more and Holtzapfel scored on a passed ball.

Brady Aldridge, Phillips and Griffin Rowe all walked as Sands scored. Noah Sands walked as Aldridge score, Jarrett Bridges reached on an error to score Phillips and Kayson Mace walked to force home Rowe.

Ironton added a run in the sixth when Holtzapfel doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a ground out by T.A. Sands.

Ironton plays Thursday at 6 p.m. against the loser’s bracket champion. A win Thursday or, if necessary, on Friday would give Ironton the district title and a berth in the state tournament.

Ironton      000 081 = 9 5 3

Wheelersburg 100 000 = 1 3 1

WP-Kayson Phillips (IP-6.0, K-8, BB-1). LP-Conkey (IP-2.0). Feeman (IP-4.0). Hitting—Ironton: Mason Holtzapfel 1-2 2B, T.A. Sands 1-4, Kayson Phillips 1-2, Crew Townsend 1-2 3B,  Jude Lucas 1-3; Wheelersburg: Feeman 1-1, Thompson 1-2, Sampson 1-2.