If a team is going to win, it needs to make some sacrifices.

Tuesday, May 01, 2001

If a team is going to win, it needs to make some sacrifices. It also needs some clutch performances.

The Ironton Fighting Tigers got both Monday as they beat the Wheelersburg Pirates 7-6 in eight innings.

Two sacrifice bunts and a sacrifice fly helped Ironton get the win along with the play of Chad Parker and Josh Harmon under pressure.

Parker not only got the win with 4.2 innings of relief work, but he worked out of a major threat in the top of the eighth.

Jeremy Williams tripled to right-center to start the inning, but Parker got the next batter to ground out to short against a drawn-in infield, then struck out the next two batters to end the inning.

Sacrifices and clutch play gave Ironton the win in the bottom of the innings.

Tyler Whaley walked to start the inning and then Drew Mains put down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move pinch-runner Kevin Williams to second. Harmon then hit a 2-2 pitch sharply into left field to score Williams.

"He kept throwing me curveballs and I finally hit one," Harmon said. It feels good to get a big win like this."

Ironton (11-8) had lost 2-1 at Wheelersburg 11 days ago. Fighting Tigers coach Mark Lewis said his team showed a lot of character.

"We were down 6-0 and could have thrown in the towel, but we battled back. That shows me an awful lot of character," said Lewis.

"But give Chad a lot of credit. He pitched a heck of a game. That’s the best he’s thrown all year."

Wheelersburg (21-5) went ahead 2-0 in the first on a walk to Michael Perkins and a two-out, two-run homer by Adam Conn.

Four runs scored in the fourth – three were unearned – as the Pirates took a 6-0 lead.

Seth Morrison singled with one out and Seth Myers and Chris Perkins walked. Parker came on and Joe Perkins put down a squeeze bunt. Michael Perkins was safe on an error as a run scored and Lance Davis doubled in two more to cap the uprising.

But Parker shut the Pirates down the rest of the game on just two hits.

Ironton got back in the game with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Parker singled and Greg Mountain, Matt White, and Chuck Murnahan all walked to force in a run. After a pop out, Tyler Whaley a slow roller to third that Joe Perkins charged, looked at home for the force, then turned and threw late to first base as Whaley beat the throw as Mountain scored.

Harmon helped generate a run in the fifth as he singled to center and went to second when the ball was missed in the outfield.. Parker walked, Mountain laid down a sacrifice bunt, and White singled home Harmon.

Whaley homered off leading off the sixth to cut the deficit to 6-5. An out later, Drew Mains walked and came home to score on a triple by Parker.

After snuffing out the Wheelersburg threat in the top of the eighth, Ironton won the game in the bottom of the inning.

Parker struck out seven, gave up three hits, and did not walk a batter. Of the 62 pitches he threw, 48 were strikes.

Mark Mains went the first 3.1 innings and gave up five runs – three earned – with four strikeouts and three walks.

Harmon was 2-for-4 and Parker 2-for-2 as Ironton had six hits.

The Fighting Tigers play at Lawrence County Wednesday.

Wheelersburg 200 400 00 – 6 6 1

Ironton 000 312 01 – 7 6 2

Two outs when winning run scored.

Seth Morrison (6-K,7-W, 3-H), Michael Brannigan (6) and Lance Davis. Mark Mains (5-R,3-ER, 4-K, 3-W), Chad Parker (4) and Matt White. W-Parker (7-K, 0-W, 3-H). L-Brannigan (1-ER, 1-H, 2-K, 1-W). WP-Morrison, Mains. Balk-Parker. 2B-Wheelersburg: Michael Perkins, Lance Davis. 3B-Wheelersburg: Jeremy Williams; Ironton: Chad Parker. HR-Wheelersburg: Adam Conn; Ironton: Tyler Whaley. SB-Wheelersburg: Seth Morrison 2; Ironton-Matt White. Sac-Wheelersburg: Joe Perkins; Ironton: Greg Mountain, Drew Mains. SF-Ironton: Josh Sands. LOB-Wheelersburg 5, Ironton 8. Hitting-Wheelersburg: Michael Perkins 1-3, Lance Davis 1-4 (2 RBI), Adam Conn 1-4 (2 RBI), Jeremy Williams 1-4, Seth Morrison 1-4, Chris Perkins 1-3; Ironton: Josh Harmon 2-4 (RBI), Chad Parker 2-2(RBI), Matt White 1-3 (RBI), Tyler Whaley 1-3 (RBI).