Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

SOUTH POINT — Opportunity knocked for Ironton, but the Fighting Tigers failed to open the door.

Ironton had chances to score but South Point pitcher Alex Whitt kept shutting the door as the Pointers rallied past the Fighting Tigers 4-3 Thursday.

“It was a hard-fought game on both sides. Both Luke Diamond and Alex Whitt pitched well,” said Ironton coach Larry Goodwin.

“We left too many runners on base in scoring position. We had chances to break the game open after taking a 3-1 lead and just could not get the big hit when we needed it.”

Whitt struck out five, walked three, gave up six hits and allowed just two earned runs. Diamond fanned five, walked two and gave up only one earned run.

South Point went up 1-0 with a run in the second inning.

Patrick Jones walked, Logan Wade singled. Jones stole third and scored on a squeeze bunt by Christian Pritchard.

Ironton took the lead with two runs in the fifth inning.

Hunter Weber led off with a base hit, Tanner Price walked, Harley Paholsky was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Andy Bruce lined a double into left-center to drive in two runs.

The Fighting Tigers made it 3-1 with a run in the top of the sixth.

Diamond singled, stole second, went to third when Derrick Battise reached on an error and scored on Chase Rowe’s RBI single.

South Point rallied in the bottom of the inning with three runs to take the lead for good.

Whitt singled, Brandon Boggs walked and Chris Woodard reached on an error allowing Whitt to score.

Patrick Jones followed with a double to drive in pinch-runner Justin Tayler and Woodard.

Ironton left runners at third base on two occasions.

Trevor Easterling singled, stole second, went to third on Dane Wilson’s sacrifice in the first but was left stranded.

Paholsky doubled and was sacrificed to third by Bruce in the third but Ironton couldn’t capitalize.

Jones went 2-2 with two RBIs for South Point.

Ironton 000 021 0 = 3 6 1

South Point 010 003 x = 4 5 1

Luke Diamond and Hunter Weber. Alex Whitt and Christian Pritchard. W-Whitt (K-5, BB-3, ER-2). L-Diamond (K-5, BB-2, ER-1). Hitting-Ironton: Trevor Easterling 1-3, Luke Diamond 1-3, Chase Rowe 1-1 rbi, Hunter Weber 1-3, Harley Paholsky 1-2, Andy Bruce 1-2 rbi-2; SP: Alex Whitt 1-3, Brandon Boggs 1-2, Patrick Jones 2-2 rbi-2, Logan Wade 1-3. 2B-Ironton: Andy Bruce, Harley Paholsky; SP: Patrick Jones. Sac-Ironton: Andy Bruce, Dane Wilson; SP: Christian Pritchard. LOB-Ironton 5, South Point 4.