SOUTH POINT — Dennis Gagai took matters into his own hands.

Gagai drove in two runs and pitched a six-hitter as the Ironton Fighting Tigers shutout the South Point Pointers 3-0 Tuesday.

Gagai struck out six and walked two as he improved to 2-0.

Justin Smith pitched well in defeat. Smith struck out eight, walked two and gave up only four hits.

“Dennis just keeps the hitters off-stride,” Ironton coach Mark Lewis said. “Dennis challenges hitters and knows how to pitch and we played good defense. So far we’re not beating ourselves.”

Ironton scored the only runs of the game in the third inning.

With one out, Troy Allen singled and Chad Miller, in his first game back since a pulled muscle injury, walked. Gagai helped his own cause with a triple to score both runners.

Dustin Preston hit a sacrifice fly to left field for an insurance run.

Ironton threatened in the fourth inning when Trevor Allen hit a leadoff double and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Greg Kettel. But Smith retired the next two batters to end the threat.

South Point tried to rally in the seventh inning.

Chase McWhorter singled to right field to start the inning. Gagai struck out the next two batters but Heath Bridges got a base hit. Gagai struck out the next batter to end the game.

“We need to get the offense going. We don’t get a lot of key hits. We just get a hit here or there,” Lewis said.

Anthony Ross and Heath Bridges each went 2-for-3 for the Pointers.

Ironton, 4-2, plays in the Paintsville (Ky) Tiger Classic this weekend. Ironton plays Paintsville at 6 p.m. Thursday, Allen Central at 8 p.m. Friday and Shelby Valley at noon Saturday.

South Point, 6-4, plays River Valley Wednesday in an Ohio Valley Conference game.

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Dennis Gagai and Dustin Preston. Justin Smith and Tyler Smith. W-Gagai (6-K, 2-BB). L-J. Smith (8-K, 4-BB, 3-ER). 2B-Ironton: Trevor Allen. 3B-Ironton: Dennis Gagai. Hitting-Ironton: Troy Allen 1-2, Dennis Gagai 1-3 (2 RBI), T.J. Keith 1-3, Trevor Allen 1-3; South Point: Anthony Ross 2-3, Heath Bridges 2-3, Chase McWhorter 1-2, Chris Brown 1-3.