By JIM WALKER

Tribune Sports Editor

 

BERLIN — Whatever it takes.

That’s been the unspoken motto of the Ironton Senior League All-Stars who are in the championship round of the state tournament.

Ironton opened the state tournament with an 11-5 win over Oxford on Sunday but lost a tough 6-3 decision to favorite and host Holmes County on Tuesday.

Ironton bounced back by outscoring Oxford 16-11 on Wednesday to reach the title series against Holmes County.

The two teams meet at 6 p.m. Thursday. Ironton needs a win to force a final game later in the evening. Holmes County needs just one win to take the state title.

“This team is just a bunch of guys who do anything that’s asked of them,” said Ironton manager Chuck Price. “Everyone has contributed.”

Ironton’s win on Wednesday was led by a 14-hit attack. Laden Delawder swung the big bat as he went 3-4 with six runs batted in.

Maurice Phillips — who got the pitching win — was 2-5, Tanner Price 2-3 with two RBI and three runs scored, Trevor Easterling 2-2 and two RBI while Derek Battise was 1-4, Brad Jenkins 1-4, Austin Bell 1-3 and Hunter Weber 1-3.

“We had guys that haven’t pitched all year throw for us. They just battled. We did everything we could to win today and worry about tomorrow when it gets here,” said coach Price.

Battise was the winning pitcher on Sunday and also went 2-3 with a pair of doubles. Delawder was 3-5 with two RBI, Bell and Weber each went 1-2 with a double, Cody Wise 1-1, Tanner Price 1-3 and a double and Easterling 1-3.

Ironton had five doubles.

The pitchers took over in Tuesday’s game as Holmes County scored four times in the fifth inning and rally for a 6-3 win.

Battise was 2-3 with a double as Ironton had five hits. Weber was 1-3 with a triple, Phillips 1-3 and Delawder 1-1 with a walk.

“We caught the ball and made some nice plays in the field, but our throws weren’t accurate. Tanner Price had a sliding catch in the outfield and we had some other nice plays,” said coach Price.

“We made some spectacular plays, but we just had a couple of things go against us.”

Sunday’s Game

Oxford 000 301 1 = 5 5 4

Ironton 122 060 x = 11 10 3

Ironton pitching: Derek Battise 2.0 IP, Chris Woodard 1.1, Battise 1.2, Laden Delawder 2.0. WP—Battise. Ironton hitting: Laden Delawder 3-5 2-rbi; Derek Battise 2-3 2-2B; Trevor Easterling 1-3; Tanner Price 1-3 2B; Austin Bell 1-2 2B; Cody Wise 1-1; Hunter Weber 1-2 2B.

Tuesday’s Game

Ironton 000 210 0 = 3 5 3

Holmes Co. 011 040 x = 6 8 2

Ironton pitching: Chris Woodard 4.2, Brad Jenkins 1.1. LP-Woodard. Ironton hitting: Laden Delawder 1-1, BB, sacrifice; Derek Battise 2-3 2B; Hunter Weber 1-3 3B; Maurice Phillips 1-3.

Wednesday’s Game

Oxford 002 324 0 = 11 11 4

Ironton 054 106 x = 16 14 3

Ironton pitching: Brad Jenkins 1.1, Cody Wise 2.0, Laden Delawder, Maurice Phillips 3.2. WP-Phillips. Ironton hitting: Chris Woodard 1-2, 3-bb, 2-rbi; Laden Delawder 3-4, 6-rbi; Derek Battise 1-4 rbi; Brad Jenkins 1-4; Maurice Phillips 2-5; Tanner Price 2-3, 3-r, 2-rbi; Trevor Easterling 2-2, 2-bb, 3-r, 2-rbi; Austin Bell 1-3, 2-r; Hunter Weber 1-3.