Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

FRANKFORT — The Ironton Fighting Tigers won the battle but lost the war.

Ironton rallied from three runs down to tie the game only to lose 7-6 in eight innings to the Adena Warriors on Friday.

“We got behind early and battled back. Sometimes you fight back so hard it drains you emotionally and we couldn’t hold on,” said Ironton coach Larry Goodwin.

“We are improving in our communication and execution as a team the more we play.”

Adena took a 3-0 lead in the second inning before Ironton (1-2) cut the deficit to 3-2 in the top of fifth.

Adena got the runs back in the bottom of the inning to lead 5-2, but Ironton scored twice in the sixth and once in the seventh to force extra innings.

Ironton took a 6-5 lead with a run in the top of the eighth, but the Warriors got an RBI single to tie the game and a ground ball to second base allowed the winning run to score ahead of the throw.

Tanner Price and Derek Battise each went 2-4 with a run batted in to pace Ironton. Aaron Stephens was 1-3 with a double and two RBIs. Korey Kellogg and Luke Diamond each went 1-3 with an RBI.

Ironton hosts Ashland, Ky., on Monday at 5:30 p.m.

Ironton 000 022 11 = 6 7 na

Adena 030 020 02 = 7 8 na

Derek Battise, Steven Easterling 8) and Mo Phillips. Ethan Sheppard and Cade Harper. W-Sheppard. L-Easterling. 2B-Ironton: Aaron Stephens. Hitting-Ironton: Tanner Price 2-4 rbi-1, Derek Battise 2-4 rbi, Aaron Stephens 1-3 rbi-2, Korey Kellogg 1-3 rbi, Luke Diamond 1-3 rbi; Adena: Mathew Seyfang 2-4 rbi, Reid Meyers 2-4 rbi, Ethan Sheppard 1-4 rbi, Jonathan Thomas 1-4 rbi, Nick Chester 1-4 rbi, Andrew Woods 1-3 rbi.