For the first time this season, the defense lapsed. But that was okay. The pitching and hitting did plenty of the work.

Racking up 12 hits including five doubles, the Ironton Fighting Tigers used the pitching of Nick Collins and reliever Josh Sands to beat the Huntington (W.Va.) Highlanders 10-5 Saturday.

"We didn't play well in the field, but our pitching and hitting were good," Ironton coach Mark Lewis said. "Nick pitched a nice game and Josh (Sands) came in and did a nice job in relief. And we got the big hits when we needed them."

Getting some big hits was Tyler Whaley who went 3-for-4 with two doubles and four runs batted in.

"This is the best I've hit in every at-bat of one game," Whaley said. "The one I hit to center (off the fence) felt real good. I could tell when I made contract that I cranked it pretty good."

Whaley's two-run double off the fence just under the 390-foot sign gave Ironton a 5-4 lead in the fifth. He then came around to score what proved to be the winning run after when Sands was safe on an error.

Sands was 2-4 with two doubles and a pair of RBI. Kevin Williams

went 2-4 with a double, and Chris Collins 2-2.

Nick Collins, 2-0, got the win as he went 6-plus innings. Collins struck out eight, walked four, gave up six hits - one an infield rolled - and only three of the five runs were earned.

"Nick pitched pretty well. They shouldn't have scored ad many as they did," Lewis said.

Huntington went up 2-0 in the second on doubles by Greg Rowsey and Jay Edwards and a botched rundown by Ironton.

The Fighting Tigers got a run back in the third when Williams doubled and Derek Moore singled.

Ironton took a 3-2 lead in the fourth.

White walked, took second on a throwing error, and moved to third when Greg Mountain singled. White scored on a throwing error and the go-ahead run came home on Chris Collins' infield single.

Two Ironton errors and a two-out double by Edwards put Huntington back in front 4-3, but the Fighting Tigers got three in the fifth and four in the sixth to open up a 10-4 lead.

Whaley's double highlighted the fifth, and then Ironton chased Huntington starter Zach Hinshaw in the sixth.

Williams was safe on a fielder's choice, Moore reached on a missed third strike, and Whaley had another two-run double. White beat out an infield hit and Sands lashed a two-run double.

The Highlanders got a run in the seventh on singles by Aaron Yeager and Rowsey sandwiched around a walk. But Sands struck out the next three batters to end the game.

Huntington (9-4) was led by Rowsey who was 3-4 and Edwards 2-3 and three RBI.

The Fighting Tigers (4-3) play at Greenup County, Ky., Monday.

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Zach Hinshaw, Mike Byrd (6) and Todd Perdue. Nick Collins, Josh Sands (7) and Greg Mountain. W-Collins 2-0 (8-K, 4-W, 4-R, 3-ER, 6-H). Save-Sands, 1 (3-K, 0-W, 1-H, 0-R). L-Hinshaw (9-R, 2-ER, 9-K, 2-W). WP-Hinshaw. 2B-Huntington: David Rowsey, Jay Edwards; Ironton: Kevin Williams, Josh Sands 2, Tyler Whaley 2. SB-Ironton: Derek Moore. Sac-Ironton: Jameson McKnight. Hitting-Huntington: Aaron Yeager 1-4, David Rowsey 3-4, Jay Edwards 2-3 (3 RBI), Justin Sammons 1-2; Ironton: Kevin Williams 2-4, Derek Moore 1-4, Tyler Whaley 3-4 (4 RBI), Matt White 1-3, Josh Sands 2-4 (2 RBI), Greg Mountain 1-4, Jeff Parnell 1-4, Chris Collins 2-2.