GALLIPOLIS — You’ve heard about Christmas in July, but what about March?

It seemed like Christmas to the Ironton Fighting Tigers Monday as they gave away a 9-8 Southeastern Ohio Athletic League game to the Gallipolis Blue Devils.

Ironton pitchers allowed seven walks and also hit a batter. Coupled with four errors, the end result was a loss in coach Tobey Schreck’s debut.

“We had them down 6-1 and then we start kicking the ball around,” Schreck said.

“This is one we just gave away. It’s just a matter of making the routine plays. Hopefully we’ll get better.”

Ironton got a run in the first inning when Nick Lewis doubled, Jeremy Moore reached on an error and T.J. Keith singled.

After Gallipolis got an unearned run in the bottom of the inning, Ironton’s lead went to 3-1 in the second inning.

David Bridges doubled, Tanner Reed was safe on an error, Byron Brammer walked and Chad Miller lined a sacrifice fly to center field. An error on the relay to home allowed Reed to score.

The Fighting Tigers got three more runs in the third inning.

Moore and Keith singled and Wes Runyon was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Bridges singled home two more runs and Brammer singled in the final run.

Gallipolis got three more unearned runs in the fourth inning to get within 6-4.

Ironton added a run in the fifth inning with two outs. Bridges reached on an error, Reed walked and a throwing error scored Bridges.

The Blue Devils took an 8-7 lead in the sixth inning on a grand slam by Austin King.

Ironton tied the game in the top of the seventh inning. Keith was hit by a pitch, Runyon put down a sacrifice fly, Bridges walked and Keith Wetzel had a run-scoring base hit.

Gallipolis managed to get another unearned run in the bottom of the inning for the win.

Cody Noble walked but Shawn Thompson was called out on strikes. Kruize Wanding walked but Miller stuck out Austin Roush. However, Nick Stevens was safe on an error as Noble scored.

Ironton outhit Gallipolis 10-7. Keith and Bridges were 2-3 and Lewis 2-4. King was 3-3 with two doubles and a grand slam homer for Gallipolis.

Ironton1230101=8104

Gallipolis1003041=974

Greg Kettel, Wes Runyon (6), Chad Miller (7) and Tanner Reed. Shawn Thompson and Kruze Wanding. W-Thompson (3-K, 3-BB). L-Miller (2-K, 2-BB, 0-H, 0-ER). SB-Ironton: Byron Brammer; Gallipolis: Finnicum 2, Noble. 2B-Ironton: Nick Lewis, David Bridges; Gallipolis: Austin King 2. SF-Ironton: Chad Miller. HR-Gallipolis: Austin King (GS). Hitting-Ironton: Nick Lewis 2-4, Jeremy Moore 1-4, T.J. Keith 2-3, David Bridges 2-3, Tanner Reed 1-4, Byron Brammer 1-2, Keith Wetzel 1-1; Gallipolis: John Paul Finnicum 1-2, Austin King 3-3, Cody Noble 1-3, Austin Roush 1-4, Nick Stevens 1-4.