If the first week of the Ironton baseball season were a song, it would sound like a broken record.

The Fighting Tigers continue to get good pitching and hitting, but key defensive mistakes kept hurting them. It happened again Monday in an 8-7 loss to the Chillcothe Cavaliers in eight innings of a Southeastern Ohio Athletic League game.

“That’s two league games we’ve given away. We’re just making too many little mistakes that are hurting us in a big way,” Ironton coach Tobey Schreck said, referring to last week’s 9-8 loss at Gallipolis after blowing an early lead.

Ironton (1-3, 0-2) scored first with a run in the first inning when Chad Miller walked, stole second base and scored when T.J. Keith reached on a dropped line drive to centerfield.

The Fighting Tigers gave the Cavs two runs in each of the third and fourth innings.

Zach Glendening singled, Marty Dunn put down a sacrifice and Alex Grow struck out but reached on a wild pitch. Seth Dawes grounded out as a run scored and another wild pitch scored a run.

In the fourth, Derrick Webb doubled but Clay Beeler popped out. Mike Dennis reached on an error as Webb scored. After a fly out, Dunn tripled.

Ironton then scored five times in the fourth inning to take a 6-4 lead.

With one out, Jeremy Moore doubled to center. And out later, Josh Pancake, Greg Kettel and Miller all walked to force in a run. David Bridges then came up with the major blow as he doubled to left field as all three runners scored. Nick Lewis smacked a single to drive home Bridges and cap the rally.

The Cavaliers got within 6-5 in the sixth.

Dennis reached on a fielder’s choice, Glendening beat out a roller in front of the mound and Dunn reached on a fielder’s choice that loaded the bases. Alex Grow hit another grounder back to the mound and Kettel threw home for the force play.

But on the throw to first base for a double play, Glendening scored.

Chillicothe (3-4, 3-1) tied the game in the seventh when Cody Speakman walked, Nathaniel Moccabee put down a sacrifice bunt and Beeler hit a fly ball double.

In the eighth, Dunn was hit by a pitch, stole second base and went to third as the throw went into the outfield. Grow walked and Dawes singled to the opposite field. After a strikeout, Moccabee singled to left for an RBI.

Ironton battled back in the bottom of the inning when Tanner Reed doubled, Pancake moved him to third base with a ground out and Nick Waugh hit a sacrifice fly. Miller singled but was left stranded to end the game.

Miller was 3-for-3 and Moore 2-4 as Ironton collected 10 hits.

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Joey Spencer, Aaron Dixon (4), Nathaniel Moccabee (7) and Seth Dawes. Greg Kettel, Chad Miller (8) and Tanner Reed. W-Moccabee (0-K, 1-BB, 1-ER, 2-H). L-Kettel (7-K, 2-BB, 2-HBP, 7-R, 3-ER, 7-H). 2B-Ch: Derrick Webb, Clay Beeler 2; Ironton: xx. 3B-Ch: Marty Dunn. Sac-Ch: Dunn. Hitting-Chillicothe: Marty Dunn 1-3, Seth Dawes 1-4, Derrick Webb 1-5, Clay Beeler 2-4, Zach Glendening 2-4, Cody Speakman 1-4, Nathaniel Moccabee 1-3; Ironton: Chad Miller 3-3, David Bridges 1-5 (3 RBI), Nick Lewis 1-4, Jeremy Moore 2-4, Tanner Reed 1-4, Josh Pancake 1-3, Greg Kettel 1-2.