PORTSMOUTH – It’s beginning to sound like a broken record, but it’s one song the Ironton Senior League All-Stars could listen to all day.

Tuesday, July 31, 2001

PORTSMOUTH – It’s beginning to sound like a broken record, but it’s one song the Ironton Senior League All-Stars could listen to all day.

Pitching was again the key factor as Matt White shutdown Tuscarawas Valley for six-plus innings in a 6-2 win Monday that put the Ironton All-Stars just one win away from the Ohio Senior League state championship at Branch Rickey Stadium.

White struck out seven, walked two, and allowed seven hits as Ironton went to 3-0 in the state tournament. Ironton needs a win at noon Tuesday to wrap up the title.

"Once again, our pitching was totally dominating," Ironton manager Bart Burcham said. "They had seven hits, but five came in the last inning and they were all bloopers and bleeders."

Ironton jumped ahead 2-0 in the first inning when Kevin Williams singled, Josh Sands tripled him home, and White grounded out as the run scored.

Tuscarawas helped Ironton take a 4-0 lead in the second.

Ben Murphy, Nick Collins, and Williams all walked to load the bases, and a wild pickoff throw at third base scored two more runners.

A run scored in the third to make it 5-0 when White doubled, moved up on a wild pitch, and scored when Tuscarawas botched a rundown.

The final run scored in the sixth with two outs.

Jameson McKnight, Jeff Parnell, and Williams all singled as pinch-runner Sean McClellan came home.

"We jumped on them early and then Whitey just shut them down until the last inning. That wasn’t our best hitting effort, but we played good defense. Now we need just one more win," Burcham said.

Tuscarawas got its two runs in the seventh on five singles and an error, but Sands came on to get the final out and end the game.

Williams, Sands, and White all went 2-for-3 as Ironton collected 10 hits. Tyler Whaley, McKnight, and Parnell were 1-for-2 and Collins 1-for-3.

Tuscarawas 000 000 2 – 2 7 1

Ironton 221 001 x – 7 10 2

Matt Gasser and Justin Higgnebothern. Matt White, Josh Sands (7) and Derek Moore. W-White (7-K, 2-W, 7-H). L-Gasser. Save-Sands. 2B-Ironton: Matt White. 3B-Ironton: Josh Sands. Hitting-Tuscarawas: Greg Reichman 2-3; Ironton: Kevin Williams 2-3 (RBI), Josh Sands 2-3 (RBI), Matt White 2-3 (RBI), Tyler Whaley 1-2, Jameson McKnight 1-2, Jeff Parnell 1-2, Nick Collins 1-3.