SPRING VALLEY, W.Va. - The bats are back.

Or so it would appear that way as the Ironton Fighting Tigers used a 14-hit assault to beat the Spring Valley Timberwolves 8-3 Saturday.

"We're starting to hit the ball a little better every day," Ironton coach Mark Lewis said. "We were off for several days because of rain, so when we came back we had to find our stroke again. Hopefully, it will carry over into the tournament."

Chad Miller and Chris Rakes each went 4-for-4 to lead the hit parade. Patrick Kouns was 2-5 and four other players had hits.

Miller went the first five innings to get the win with a solid effort. Josh Adkins came on to get the save.

Clay Maddox took the loss.

Spring Valley led 1-0 after the first inning as Maddox singled, moved up on a ground out and scored on a hit by Willie Bays.

Ironton answered in the second inning by scoring three runs to take the lead for good.

Dustin Preston was hit by a pitch, Miller walked and then Kouns, Rakes and Ryan Walker all singled to drive in runs.

The Fighting Tigers pushed the lead to 7-1 in the fourth inning.

J.J. Johnson walked, Brigham Waginger singled, and they moved up on a ground out. Johnson scored on a throwing error and Preston doubled home Waginger.

Miller singled for a run and Kouns and Rakes singled for two more runs.

Ironton got an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning when Josh Adkins doubled and Miller singled.

Spring Valley got two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning.

With one out, Dustin Huffman struck out but reached first base on a wild pitch. Tim Norris singled, Maddox and Justin Maynard walked to force in a run, and a passed ball scored the final run.

Ironton (13-7) hosts Chesapeake Tuesday at 5 p.m. in the Division III sectional tournament.

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Chad Miller, Josh Adkins (6) and Dustin Preston. Clay Maddox and Josh Mathews. W-Miller (0-K, 1-BB, 1-R, 1-ER). L-Clay Maddox (3-K, 3-BB, 7-ER). Save-Adkins (3-K, 2-BB, 0-ER). SB-Spring Valley: Willie Bays. 2B-Ironton: Dustin Preston, Josh Adkins. Hitting-Ironton: Brigham Waginger 1-2, Josh Adkins 1-5, Dustin Preston 1-4 (RBI), Chad Miller 4-4 (2 RBI), Patrick Kouns 2-5 (RBI), Chris Rakes 4-4 (RBI), Ryan Walker 1-3 (RBI); Spring Valley: Clay Maddox 1-3, Willie Bays 2-4, Garrett Smith 1-3, Dustin Huffman 1-3, Tim Norris 1-3.