Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WEST PORTSMOUTH — There’s still a lot of fight in the Fighting Tigers.

Ironton played one of the area’s top teams even for five innings before losing 6-1 to the Portsmouth West Senators Saturday in the title game of the Rock Nelson Wood Bat Classic.

Ironton beat Portsmouth Notre Dame 10-6 in the first game to reach the championship game.

In the championship game, West scored five times in the sixth inning to snap a 1-1-1 tie and win the classic.

“Derek Battise pitched a great game,” said Ironton coach Larry Goodwin. “West is a ranked team. They defeated Wheelersburg this past Thursday. We were tied until the bottom of the sixth and he had one bad inning.

“We showed we can compete with anyone. We have eight one-run losses this year and many other games that were close all the way. Our boys come to play every night.”

Ironton broke a scoreless tie with a run in the top of the fifth inning.

Tanner Price reached on a dropped third strike, Trevor Easterling sacrificed him to second and Luke Diamond had a two-out RBI single.

West tied the game in the bottom of the inning when Todd Galloway singled, stole second, took third on an error and scored on a hit by Luke Morgan.

West used three singles, a bunt single, a walk and a sacrifice fly to score the five runs.

Diamond went 3-4 and Easterling 2-3 as Ironton had seven hits.

Trevor Easterling and Dane Wilson combined for the win in the first game while the offense spanked 15 hits.

“Trevor Easterling started the game and pitched well,” said Goodwin.

“Our defense just had that one bad inning. Dane Wilson came on in relief and pitched a great game. He kept the opponent off-balance. And we hit the ball well.”

Ironton jumped in front 2-0 in the first inning.

Easterling was hit by a pitch, Wilson walked, Diamond singled and a run scored on a double play. Lucas Campbell then singled to drive in the second run.

Notre Dame scored five runs in the third inning on a walk, and error, a hit batsman, a passed ball and singles by Daniel Ogg, Brandon Lansing and Dakota Smith.

Ironton answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning.

Wilson and Diamond singled, Battise walked, Campbell was hit by a pitch to force in a run and Hunter Weber hit a sacrifice fly.

The Fighting Tigers took the lead with three runs in the fourth.

Easterling walked and Battise slammed a two-run homer. Campbell followed with a base hit, Hunter Kaliber was hit by a pitch and Weber had an RBI single.

The Titans got a run in the top of the fifth but Ironton came right back with three in the bottom of the inning.

Luke Kelly singled, Easterling was hit by a pitch, Wilson had a sacrifice bunt and Diamond singled in a run. A passed ball scored the second run and Battise singled to drive in the final run.

Ironton cranked out 15 hits with the wooden sticks led by Diamond who was 3-3 with an RBI. Battise and Campbell were 2-3 with three RBIs each, Kelly 3-4 and Price 2-4.

Semifinal Game

Rock Nelson Wood Bat

Notre Dame 005 010 0 = 6 4 0

Ironton 202 330 x = 10 15 1

Tyson Montgomery, Michael Collins (4) and Will Haney. Trevor Easterling, Dane Wilson (3) and Hunter Weber. W-Wilson (IP-4.2, H-1, R-1, ER-0, K-4, BB-2). Easterling (IP-2.1, H-3, R-4, ER-2, K-4, BB-3, HBP-1). L-Collins (IP-2.1, H-7, R-3, ER-3, K-2, BB-0, HBP-1). Montgomery (IP-3.2, H-8, R-6, ER-6, K-3, BB-3, HBP-3). Hitting-PND: Will Haney 1-3 rbi, Daniel Ogg 1-3 rbi, Bandon Lansing 1-3 rbi, Dakota Smith 1-3; Ironton: Trevor Easterling 1-2, Dane Wilson 1-2, Luke Diamond 3-3 rbi, Derek Battise 2-3 rbi-3, Lucas Campbell 2-3 rbi-3, Hunter Weber 1-3 rbi-2, Tanner Price 2-4, Luke Kelly 3-4. Sac-Ironton: Dane Wilson. SF-Ironton: Hunter Weber. HR-Ironton: Derek Battise.

Championship Game

Ironton 000 010 0 = 1 7 3

Ports. West 000 015 x = 6 9 0

Derek Battise and Hunter Weber. Trevar Welc, Travis Smith (6) and Bradley Knittel. W-Smith (IP-2, H-2, R-0, K-3, BB-0). Welc (IP-5, H-5, R-1, ER-0, K-7, BB-3). L-Battise (K-5, BB-2, ER-6). Hitting-Ironton: Trevor Easterling 2-3, Dane Wilson 1-4, Luke Diamond 3-4 rbi, Hunter Weber 1-3; PW: Wesley Book 1-4 rbi, Bradley Knittel 1-4 rbi-2, Luke Morgan 1-3 rbi, Aaron Dyer rbi, Travis Smith 2-3, Trevar Welc 2-3, Justin Scott 1-1, Todd Galloway 1-3.2B-Ironton: Luke Diamond; PW: Trevar Welc. SF-PW: Aaron Dyer. Sac-Ironton: Trevor Easterling.