RIO GRANDE – The Ironton Fighting Tigers did a couple of things they haven’t done and ended up doing something they liked doing.

Ironton showed some power for the first time this season and didn’t squander a big lead as the Fighting Tigers belted the Gallipolis Blue Devils 16-7 Wednesday in a Southeastern Ohio Athletic League game.

“We hadn’t hit a home run all season and we hit three on a pretty good size field,” Ironton coach Tobey Schreck said of the University of Rio Grande field.

“We hit the ball as well as we have all season and we didn’t let up like we have in other games. We got a big lead and this time we put them away.”

Tanner Reed led the onslaught as he went 5-for-5 with a home run and four runs batted in.

“Tanner has been hitting well, so we moved him up in the lineup and he responded well,” Schreck said.

Chad Miller, who was 3-3 with five runs scored, and Jeremy Moore also powered home runs for Ironton (5-7, 4-5) against the South Division leaders.

Greg Kettel got the win. He struck out seven, walked only one but hit three batters.

Reed singled home a run in the first inning and scored on a ground out by Nick Lewis for a 2-0 lead.

Gallipolis came back to take a 3-2 lead in the second, but Ironton erupted for nine runs in the third inning.

Miller drilled a home run to start the inning and later double home a run in the same inning.

Reed had a single and also double home a run in the uprising. Lewis, T.J. Keith and Josh Pancake and RBI singles and Bryon Brammer belted a two-run double.

Reed had a two-run homer in the fifth and Moore smoked a solo shot in the sixth.

The final two runs scored in the seventh when Miller and Keith doubled for a run, Reed singled and Lewis hit a sacrifice fly.

Keith was 3-5 as Ironton banged out 17 hits.

Ironton visits South Point Thursday and Portsmouth Friday.

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Gallipolis0311020=7114

Greg Kettel and Tanner Reed. Shawn Thompson and David Rumley. W-Kettel (7-K, 1-BB, 3-HBP). L-Thompson. 2B-Ironton: Chad Mille 2, T.J. Keith, Tanner Reed; Gallipolis: Nick Stevens, Austin King, Austin Roush. HR-Ironton: Chad Miller, Tanner Reed, Jeremy Moore. Hitting-Ironton: Chad Miller 3-3 (5 runs), T.J.Keith 3-5, Tanner Reed 5-5, Nick Lewis 1-4, Jeremy Moore 1-3, Josh Dyer 1-2, Josh Pancake 1-3, Nick Waugh 1-1, Byron Brammer 1-3; Gallipolis: Nick Stevens 2-5, John Paul Finnicum 2-4, Austin King 2-4, Cody Noble 1-4, Austin Roush 2-3, Bowman 1-2, Troester 1-3.