By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

Sean Lawless wasn’t a one-man team, but he tried.

Lawless pitched a six-hitter and belted a pair of doubles as the Ironton Fighting Tigers edge the Chesapeake Panthers 4-3 on Tuesday.

Lawless struck out three, walked none and only one run was earned.

“Lawless pitched well and he had a couple of big hits. If we field the ball, they probably don’t score,” said Ironton coach Tobey Schreck.

The Panthers Blake Lester pitched well in defeat. He gave up four hits, struck out five, walked one and hit a batter.

Chesapeake scored a pair of unearned runs in the first inning on a single by Lester, an error, a double steal and a two-out single by Hunter Bare.

Ironton got a run in the second on a walk to Derek Battise, a balk and Jacob Friend’s base hit.

The Fighting Tigers (6-3) took the lead with two runs in the third.

Trey Spencer was hit by a pitch, stole second and scored when Korey Kellogg reached on an error. Lawless then doubled home Kellogg.

The Panthers tied the game with a run in the sixth. Brandon Noble singled and stole second, went to third when Tommy Noble was safe on an error and scored on a two-out single by Mikey Walters.

But Ironton answered with a run in the bottom of the inning when Lawless had a leadoff double and scored on a single by Cody Roberts.

Steve Easterling came on in the seventh and struck out three batters to secure the win.

Ironton hosts Ashland, Ky., on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Chesapeake 200 001 0 = 3 6 2

Ironton 012 001 x = 4 4 3

Blake Lester and Brandon Noble. Sean Lawless, Steve Easterling (7) and Maurice Phillips. W-Lawless (ER-1, K-3, BB-0). Save-Easterling (K-3, BB-0, H-0). L-Lester (K-5, BB-1, HBP-1, ER-3). 2B-Chesapeake: Blake Lester; Ironton: Sean Lawless 2. Hitting-Chesapeake: Blake Lester 2-4, Brandon Noble 1-3, Hunter Bare 1-3, Mikey Walters 1-3, Henson 1-3; Ironton: Sean Lawless 2-3, Cody Roberts 1-3, Jacob Friend 1-3.