Ironton SL wins District 11 title

Published 12:00 am Sunday, July 13, 2008

SOUTH POINT - Howie Lucas keeps doing the same thing every time he pitches. The Ironton Senior League All-Stars love the monotony.

Lucas turned in a dominating performance as he fashioned a one-hit, 10-strikeout effort as the Ironton stars beat the South Point Senior League All-Stars 15-1 in five innings Friday to win the Distirct 11 championship and a berth in the state tournament.

“It was Howie doing what he does,” said Ironton coach Chuck Price. “He hit the first batter of the game and then he was in control the rest of the game.”

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After a scoreless first inning, Ironton broke loose with a six-run second inning.

Tanner Riley reached on an error and went to third base on two passed balls. T.J. Young walked and pinch-runner Pierce Reeves stole second. A throwing error on the play sent Reeves to third and allowed Riley to score.

Johnathan Williams singled home a run and Jake Murphy singled. After a double steal, Josh Pancake singled home both runners.

Pancake stole second and came home on a hit by Wayne Sparks. The final run scored when Sparks stole second and came around on two passed balls.

The lead went to 10-0 in the third inning.

Lucas singled and courtesy runner Reeves stole second. Murphy singled home Reeves, stole second and came home when Pancake singled. Pancake stole second and scored on a hit by Sparks and Sparks stole second and came around to score on a hit by Tommy Waginger.

South Point got its only run in the fourth inning on an error, a base hit by Steven McClure, a passed ball and a ground out by Josh Esque.

Ironton applied the five-inning mercy rule win by scoring five more runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Riley walked and pinch-runner Reeves stole second base. Jared Eldridge was hit by a pitch and Williams and Murphy followed with RBI singles. Pancake then unloaded a three-run homer.

Williams, Murphy and Pancake all went 3-4 and Sparks 2-3. Waginger and Aaron Conley had the other two hits as Ironton banged out a total of 14.

“We hit the ball well early and throughout the game. We didn’t wait around this time,” said Price.

Ironton will play at 4 p.m. on Saturday in the state tournament at Englewood, a Dayton suburb, against the Canton representative.

Anyone wishing to make a donation should contact Price at (740) 479-6837 or Jimmy Mahlmeister at (740) 646-4436.

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Adkins, Winkler (5) and McClure. Howie Lucas and Jake Murphy. W-Lucas (10-K, 0-ER, 0-BB, 1-HBP). L-Adkins. 2B-Ironton: Johnathan Williams. HR-Ironton: Josh Pancake. Hitting-South Point: Stephen McClure 1-2; Ironton: Johnathan Williams 3-4, Jake Murphy 3-4, Josh Pancake 3-4, Wayne Sparks 2-3, Tommy Waginger 1-3, Aaron Conley 1-3.