Friday, April 13, 2001

As hot as Chuck Murnahan’s bat is, it’s hard to believe he can still hold onto it.

Inserted as the designated hitter a couple of games ago, Murnahan has six hits in his last seven at bats including a 4-for-4 performance Thursday with seven runs batted in as the Ironton Fighting Tigers mercy ruled the Spring Valley Timberwolves 18-8.

Murnahan has seven hits in his last nine plate appearances.

"Murnahan has a hot bat right now. He’s stinging the ball," Ironton coach Mark Lewis said.

Murnahan said he wasn’t aware that he had four hits, nor that he had seven RBI.

"I’ve got more confidence with two strikes on me that I didn’t have," Murnahan said. "I don’t pay attention to what I’m doing. It’s just fun and I’m getting into the game. It’s just all coming together. I hope it continues."

Ironton (7-3) had plenty of offensive standouts. Drew Mains was 2-for-3 with a triple and three runs batted in, Josh Harmon was 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Mark Mains was 2-for-4 as the Fighting Tigers collected 14 hits.

Freshman Nick Collins got the win while freshman Josh Sands picked up his second save.

"We’ll take that kind of offensive effort," said Lewis. "We needed this (mercy rule). We have three games over the next two days. We needed to save our arms."

Spring Valley (3-8) started out as if it would put up the big offensive numbers. The T-Wolves scored four runs in the first inning with only two earned.

But Ironton came right back with four runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the score.

Drew Mains and Sands walked and then Harmon had a run-scoring single. An out later, Mountain walked and White hit a sacrifice fly. Murnahan then lined a two-run single to center.

Neither team scored again until the third.

Drew Fannin doubled, went to third on Evan Akers’ base hit, and scored on an error to make it 5-4.

The Fighting Tigers then roared back to take the lead for good with a seven-run rally.

Harmon walked and scored on Chad Parker’s double. Mountain walked and White was safe on a dropped fly ball to load the bases. Murnahan had a two-run single, Mark Mains singled to load the bases, and Brian Rowe delivered a two-run single. Drew Mains then tripled to clear the bases.

Ironton tacked on a run in the fourth when White walked, moved up on a wild pitch, and scored on a hit by Murnahan.

An error, singles by Akers and Ryan Evans, a walk, and John DeBord’s sacrifice fly got Spring Valley within 12-8.