KENOVA, W.

April, Wednesday 7, 1999

KENOVA, W.Va. — Who said baseball isn’t a contact sport?

Ironton coach Mark Lewis was lamented the lack of contact after the Fighting Tigers dropped an 8-2 decision to the Spring Valley Timberwolves Tuesday.

"We need to make better contact. We have to put the ball in play and at least have a chance," said Lewis. "Right now we’re not getting the bat on the ball enough."

Ironton batters struck out 13 times against two Spring Valley pitchers and managed just six hits.

The loss went to Michael Schweickart who struck out six, walked one batter intentionally, and gave up only three earned runs.

"Michael pitched a heck of a game. We wasted a nice effort," said Lewis. "he deserved a better fate. Two runs scored on a controversial play and the five runs in the sixth were all unearned."

The controversial play came in the fifth inning with two out, a runner at first, and the score tied 1-1. Steve Thacker hit a fly ball to center field that Nathan Myers chased down.

Myers dove but the ball hit just in front of his glove and bounced over the fence. But instead of having runners at second and third, the home plate umpire overrode the base umpire and gave Thacker a home run and not a ground rule double.

The next batter bounced back to the mound to end the inning.

Ironton came right back in the top of the sixth to scored a run when Dan Meehan singled, went to second on Daniel Price’s sacrifice bunt, and scored on Ryan Carmon’s base hit.

Spring Valley, 6-2, got a run in the third when Robbie Rash doubled and Thacker hit a sacrifice fly.

The Fighting Tigers tied the game on a double by Drew Mains and an overthrow at first base on Jerod Snead’s sacrifice bunt attempt.

Up 3-2 in the sixth, the Timberwolves scored five runs.

Mike Damron singled and was safe at second as Ironton bobbled what should have been an easy force play. Kyle Smith put down a sacrifice bunt and Jerod Koslow hit a sacrifice fly.

Kris Quate singled in a run, Rash walked, and Brett Looney, Thacker, and Luke Huffman all singled.

Chad Lewis was 2-3 and Dan Meehan 2-4 to lead Ironton.

Ironton, 5-2, plays Portsmouth Wednesday.

Ironton 000 011 0 – 2 6 1

Spring Valley 001 015 x – 8 12 2

Michael Schweickart and Jon Sites. Mike Damron, Josh Fouch (7) and Kyle Smith. W-Damron (11-K, 1-W, 5-H). L-Schweickart (6-K, 1-W). 2B-Ironton: Drew Mains; SV: Robbie Rash, Luke Huffman, Kris Quate. 3B-Ironton: Dan Meehan. HR-SV: Steve Thacker. SF-SV: Steve Thacker, Jerod Koslow. Sac-Ironton: Daniel Price, Jerod Snead; SV: Kyle Smith. SB-Ironton: Chad Lewis. WP-Fouch. PB-Smith. LOB-Ironton 7, Spring Valley 5. Hitting-Ironton: Chad Lewis 2-3, Dan Meehan 2-4, Ryan Carmon 1-3, Drew Mains 1-3; Spring Valley: Steve Thacker 2-4, Kyle Smith 2-2, Robbie Rash 2-2.