Josh Pancake wanted to pitch. It appeared he didn’t mind getting a chance to bat, either.

Pancake pitched a six-hitter and cranked a home run to start the game as the Ironton Fighting Tigers beat the Fairland Dragons 6-1 Tuesday.

“Josh hadn’t pitched for a couple of weeks but he came to me before the game and said his arm felt pretty good. I told him take the ball and pitch and he did a nice job,” said Ironton coach Tobey Schreck.

Pancake struck out eight and walked just one in going the distance. But his leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning sparked the Ironton offense.

“He really turned on it and hit it up on the railroad tracks,” said Schreck.

Anthony Harper followed him with a base hit and went to second base on an outfield error. He went to third base on a wild pitch and scored when Jonathan Williams reached on an error.

The lead went to 3-0 in the third inning when Darren Dalton singled, took second on a wild pitch and scored on a hit by Williams.

Fairland (13-4) got its only run in the top of the fourth inning on a single by Alex Thackston and Eric Riley’s double.

The Fighting Tigers (14-9) answered with three runs in the sixth inning on singles by Cameron Miller, Harper, Dalton, Williams and “Tractor” Taylor Barker.

Dalton and Williams each went 2-3 as Ironton collected 10 hits. Harper was 2-4.

Thackston went the distance in taking the loss. He struck out nine and did not walk a batter.

Ironton plays at Logan Wednesday.

Fairland 000 100 0 = 1 6 3

Ironton 201 030 x = 6 10 1

Alex Thackston and Matt Campbell. Josh Pancake and Keith Wetzel. W-Pancake (8-K, 1-BB, 1-ER). L-Thackston (9-K, 0-BB, 5-ER). 2B-Fairland: Eric Riley. HR-Ironton: Josh Pancake. Hitting-Fairland: Alex Thackston 1-3, Matt Campbell 1-3, Eric Riley 1-3, Tanner Sowards 1-2, Brandon Begil 1-3, Javier Roe 1-3; Ironton: Josh Pancake 1-4, Anthony Harper 2-4, Darren Dalton 2-3, Jonathan Williams 2-3, Taylor Barker 1-3, Keith Wetzel 1-3, Cameron Miller 1-1.