Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

CHESAPEAKE — They say one bad apple don’t spoil the whole bunch. The Chesapeake Panthers would rather think that one good apple saves the whole bunch.

The Panthers scored all four runs of their runs in the third inning as they slipped past the Ironton Fighting Tigers 4-2 on Monday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

Derek Morris and Nate Smith combined on a five-hitter for the Panthers.

Morris went four innings, struck out four, walked two, and gave up all five hits and both runs.

Smith fanned three and walked one over three innings for the save.

Luke Diamond took the tough-luck loss. He gave up five hits, struck out one, walked one and all four runs were unearned.

Ironton coach Larry Goodwin saw a silver lining, but it was still a gray sky.

“We are beginning to do a lot of positive things on the baseball field. However, we need to decrease our strikeouts and put the ball in play more,” said Goodwin.

“The one bad inning in the third cost us the game. Luke pitched a good game.”

Ironton (5-3, 1-2) took a 1-0 lead in the top of third when Diamond reached on an error, stole second and scored on a hit by Dane Wilson.

The Panthers (3-3, 3-0) rallied in the bottom of the inning.

Jacob Eddy reached on an error, Kolton Webb bunted for a hit, Blake Lester walked to load the bases and Dakota Blankenship’s line drive got past a diving centerfielder for a three-run triple.

Blankenship then scored when the return throw to the infield was wild.

Ironton got a run in the fifth when Tanner Price beat out an infield hit, stole second and Diamond had an RBI single.

Webb was 2-for-2, Lester 1-2 and Blankenship and Blake Ashworth 1-3 for the Panthers.

Price was 2-3 for Ironton while Diamond, Wilson and Garrett Carrico were 1-4.

Ironton visits Rock Hill on Tuesday. Chesapeake entertains South Point on Wednesday.

Ironton 001 010 0 = 2 5 4

Chesapeake 004 000 x = 4 5 2

Luke Diamond and Hunter Weber. Derek Morris, Nate Smith (5) and Blake Ashworth. W-Morris (IP-4, K-4, BB-2, H-5, R-2, ER-1). Save-Smith (IP-3, K-3, BB-1). L-Diamond (K-1, BB-1, ER-0). Hitting—Ironton: Luke Diamond 1-4 rbi, Dane Wilson 1-4 rbi, Garrett Carrico 1-4, Tanner Price 2-3; Chesapeake: Blake Lester 1-2, Dakota Blankenship 1-3 3B rbi-3, Blake Ashworth 1-3, Kolton Webb 2-2.