By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

SOUTH POINT — The South Point Lady Pointers did score much, but Kaitlyn Brown didn’t need much.

Brown pitched a three-hitter as the Lady Pointers slipped past the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers 1-0 Thursday.

Brown struck out four and walked one in going the distance. Ironton’s Karlie Collins fanned three and did not walk a batter in taking the loss.

“Kaitlyn did a fantastic job tonight by forcing a lot of routine ground balls and only giving up three hits to a powerful hitting team from Ironton,” said South Point coach Tara Layne.

South Point scored the game’s only run in the first inning.

Kayla Fletcher got a lead-off single to right, stole second base and went to third when Katelynn Leonard grounded out. She then scored on Andrea Kleinman’s two-out base hit to right field.

Ironton threatened in the seventh inning but South Point came up with a big defensive play to save the win.

Nikki Elswick — who went 2-3 — got an infield hit to start the inning. Karlee McMackin reached on an error to put runners at first and second. Laken White hit a sharp ground ball to short and Ashley Goodall tagged Elswick and threw to first place to complete the double play.

Brown got a ground out by the next batter to end the game.

“Both defenses played extremely well as you could imagine having just a 1-0 ball game,” said Layne. “Our defense made some huge plays by getting their lead runners out, knocking all the balls down and turning double plays.”

Fletcher was 3-3 and Rachel Murnahan 2-3 to pace the Lady Pointers.

South Point (8-1) plays at 5 p.m. on Monday at Portsmouth.

Ironton 000 000 0 = 0 3 1

South Point 100 000 x = 1 8 2

Karlie Collins and Saige Fields. Kaitlyn Brown and Andrea Kleinman. W-Brown (K-4, BB-1). L-Collins (K-3, BB-0). Hitting-Ironton: Nikki Elswick 2-3, Emily Davis 1-2; South Point: Kayla Fletcher 3-3, Andrea Kleinman 1-3 rbi, Rachel Murnahan 2-3, Kaitlyn Brown 1-3, Morgan Wells 1-3.