By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

AID — Steve Easterling understands the old saying that the best pitch you can throw is a strike.

Easterling threw plenty of strikes as he struck out 13 and pitched a six-hitter to lead the Ironton Fighting Tigers to an 11-1 six-inning win over the Symmes Valley Vikings on Thursday.

“Easterling threw the ball really well. He was throwing strikes and that’s the key,” said Ironton coach Tobey Schreck.

“Their pitcher threw hard and did a nice job, but we started to hit him the second time through the lineup and they made a few errors that helped us.”

Derek Battise and Sean Lawless each went 2-3 as Ironton (5-2) collected nine hits. Nick Heaberlin and Easterling were 1-2 while Korey Kellogg, Jacob Friend and Trey Spencer were 1-3.

Mitch Corn and Tanner Mays were 2-3, D.J. Miller 1-1 and Dylan Pelletier 1-2 for the Vikings.

With the game scoreless, Ironton blew the game open with eight runs in the fourth inning.

Easterling singled, Lawless was hit by a pitch and Battise singled in a run. Brandon Leach reached on an error for a run and Friend doubled in a run.

Maurice Phillips walked, Trevor Easterling was safe on an error, Kellogg walked, Easterling was hit by a pitch, Lawless singled in a run and Leach walked to force home a run.

A run scored in the fifth on a hit by Spencer, a balk and Kellogg’s base hit.

The lead went to 11-0 in the sixth on hits by Lawless and Battise, a walked to Cody Roberts and Spencer and a hit by Heaberlin.

The Vikings got their run in the sixth when Mays singled, stole second and third and Corn singled.

Ironton plays Meigs at 1 p.m. Friday at Rio Grande.

Ironton 000 812 = 11 9 0

Sym. Valley 000 001 = 1 6 3

Steve Easterling and Maurice Phillips. Tanner Mays and Alec Herrell. W-Easterling (K-13, BB-2). L-Mays. 2B-Ironton: Jacob Friend. Hitting-Ironton: Korey Kellogg 1-3, Steve Easterling 1-2, Sean Lawless 2-3, Derek Battise 2-3, Jacob Friend 1-3, Trey Spencer 1-3, Nick Heaberlin 1-2; Symmes Valley: D.J. Miller 1-1, Tanner Mays 2-3, Mitch Corn 2-3, Dylan Pelletier 1-2.