Ironton#039;s bats finally come to life

Published 12:00 am Saturday, April 10, 2004

LOUISA, Ky. - So there's that missing one-third of the equation.

The pitching and defense were good again, but this time there was some offense as the Ironton Fighting Tigers belted the Prestonsburg Pirates 10-1 Saturday in the Lawrence County Classic.

Ironton (2-3) had its biggest offensive output with 10 hits including six extra base hits.

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Josh Sands, Josh Adkins, and Patrick Kouns all hit home runs for Ironton while Kevin Williams, Dustin Preston, and Ryan Walker all doubled.

"I was pleased with our pitching again. Dennis (Gagai) came in and just threw strikes," Ironton coach Mark Lewis said. "It felt good to hit the ball for a change. It's all a matter of timing. I think we can be a good hitting team."

Gagai pitched the final six innings after Nick Collins left with a sore shoulder. Gagai allowed seven hits, struck out six and walked just one for his first career victory.

Williams was 2-4 and Adkins 2-5 with two runs batted in to pace the offense. Eight different players had base hits.

Ironton took a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Nick Collins was safe on an error, Preston singled him home, and Kouns lofted a two-run homer to left.

Sands homered leading off the third, Williams was hit by a pitch, and Adkins slammed a two-run shot to make it 6-0.

Prestonsburg got a run in the bottom of the inning on a double by Kyle Wicker and a single by Brandon Campbell, but the Fighting Tigers pushed across two more in the fourth to lead 8-1.

With one out, Williams singled, stole second, and came home on a hit by Gagai. Collins was safe on another error with Gagai going to third base where he scored on a wild pitch.

Brigham Waginger had a two-out single and scored when Sands' fly ball was dropped to make it 9-1 in the fifth inning.

The final run scored in the sixth on a double by Adkins and ground outs by Gagai and Greg Linn.

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Nick Collins, Dennis Gagai (2) and Dustin Preston. Josh Rodebaugh, Mick Stanley (3), Jason Hughes (2) and Kyle Wicker. W-Gagai 1-0 (6-K, 1-W, 2-ER). L-Rodebaugh. 2B-Ironton: Ryan Walker, Dustin Preston, Kevin Williams; Prestonsburg: Kyle Wicker. HR-Ironton: Patrick Kouns, Josh Sands, Josh Adkins. SB-Ironton: John Rakes 2, Kevin Williams 2, Dennis Gagai, Nick Collins; Prestonsburg: Kyle Wicker. Hitting-Ironton: Josh Sands 1-5, Kevin Williams 2-4, Josh Adkins 2-5, Dennis Gagai 1-4, Dustin Preston 1-3, Ryan Walker 1-1, Patrick Kouns 1-3, Brigham Waginger 1-4; Prestonsburg: Kyle Wicker 1-4, Brandon Campbell 2-4, Jarred McGuire 2-4, John Mark Stephens 1-4, Jason Hughes 1-3.