#039;Generous#039; Ironton LL All-Stars fall in District 11 tournament

Published 12:00 am Thursday, July 14, 2005

WHEELERSBURG - The Ironton Little League All-Stars are too generous.

While generosity is a virtue most of the time, it led to the downfall of the Ironton 11- and 12-year-old All-Stars as six errors led to six unearned runs in an 8-4 loss to Wheelersburg.

Wheelersburg took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning with the aid of two Ironton errors, a walk and singles by Boyer, Timberlake and Thompson.

Email newsletter signup

Ironton came right back to take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the inning.

Anthony Harper singled, Tyler Salyers doubled and Tanner Riley grounded out as a run scored. Tres Wilks singled to score Salyers and tie the game. Wilks went to second base on the throw home a scored on a two-out single by Brian Warner.

Two more Ironton errors in the fourth inning led to six Wheelersburg runs.

DeFoe singled, Hood walked and Boyer had a one-out RBI double. Timberlake was safe on an error to load the bases and McIntosh singled to score a run. Luster then reached on an outfield error to clear the bases.

Ironton tried to rally in the sixth inning but managed only one run.

With one out, Wilks singled and went to second base on an error. Trevor White doubled to score Wilks, but a double play ended the game.

Wilks was 2-for-3 as Ironton had seven hits. Harper, Salyers, Riley, White and Warner all had one hit.

Ironton will play at 6 p.m. Friday at Wheelersburg against the winner of the Clay vs. Northwest game.

Wheelersburg200600=8111

Ironton300001=476

McIntosh and Timberlake. Anthony Harper and Brian Warner. W-McIntosh (7-K,0-BB). L-Harper (1-K, 4-BB, 1-HBP). Hitting-Wheelersburg: Boyer 3-4, Timberlake 1-4, McIntosh 2-4, Thompson 2-3, Hall 1-2, DeFoe 1-2, Whitley 1-3; Ironton: Anthony Harper 1-3, Tyler Salyers 1-2, Tanner Riley 1-3, Tres Wilks 2-3, Trevor White 1-2, Brian Warner 1-2.

Junior League

The Ironton Junior League All-Stars used a big 10-run sixth inning to end the game an inning early as they beat Lucasville 14-4 Saturday.

Ironton had eight hits as Pat Gagai went 2-for-2 and Jason Pennington 2-3 to lead the attack. Tommy Waginger, Caleb Blackburn, Keith Wetzel and Ethan Preston all had hits.

Josh Pancake got the win with four innings of relief work. He struck out three and walked three as he did not allow a run.

Lucasville used three walks and singles by Cunningham and Richard to score all its runs in the top of the second inning.

Ironton came back with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Wetzel doubled, Howie Lucas walked and Pennington singled for a run. Gagai singled in a run, Waginger had a base hit to load the bases and Ryan O'Leary reached on a fielder's choice to drive in a run.

Ironton got a run in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game as Blackburn walked, Preston was safe on an error, Wetzel walked to load the bases and Chris Warner hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

The score remained tie until the bottom of the sixth inning.

Pennington reached on an error and Ryan Sias entered the game as a pinch-runner. Gagai and Waginger walked and O'Leary was safe on an error as Sias scored.

Pancake walked to force in a run, Gagai and Waginger reached on errors as two runs scored. Preston delivered an RBI single and Pancake was safe on an error to score Blackburn.

Lucas also reached on an error as Preston scored. Pennington singled in Wetzel and Gagai singled to put runners on the corners. Waginger was intentionally walked to load the bases and Lucasville put all its players in the infield.

But O'Leary crossed up the strategy with a squeeze bunt to score Pennington and create the 10-run mercy rule win.

Lucasville040000-436

Ironton03100(10)-1481

Cunningham, Burchett (6), Cunningham (6) and Scott. Caleb Blackburn (4-K, 4-BB), Josh Pancake (3) and Ethan Preston. W-Pancake (3-K, 3-BB). L-Cunningham (5-K, 6-BB). Ironton hitting: Pat Gagai 2-2, Jason Pennington 2-3, Tommy Waginger 1-2, Caleb Blackburn 1-3, Keith Wetzel 1-3, Ethan Preston 1-4.