Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

WHEELERSBURG — Generosity is a virtue, except in baseball.

Ironton proved to be too generous with its “gifts” as the Fighting Tigers banged out 10 hits but still lost 14-2 Saturday to the Wheelersburg Pirates.

“Wheelersburg is a very good team and all day we gave them extra outs and took ourselves out of the game with base-running mental errors,” said Ironton coach Larry Goodwin.

Ironton got a run in the top of the first inning when Trevor Easterling was hit by a pitch, Luke Kelly put down a sacrifice and Luke Diamond had an RBI single.

Wheelersburg answered with three runs in the bottom of the first on four walks and a two-run double by Jacob Roe.

Ironton cut the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the second on singles by Lucas Campbell, Hunter Weber and Dane Wilson.

The Pirates got the run back in the bottom of the inning on single by Tristan Browning, a double by Garrett Carmichael and a sacrifice fly by Wade Martin.

Wheelersburg scored eight runs in the third on a walk, an error and seven singles to lead 12-2.

“Defensively, we continually gave them extra outs with errors and plays that should have been made. Offensively, we made base-running mistakes that killed several of our rallies, evidenced by the fact we had 10 base hits to their 12 yet the score was 14-2,” said Goodwin.

Diamond went 3-3 while Hunter Weber was 2-2 to pace Ironton. Kelly, Campbell and Tanner Price were all 1-2.

In the second game, Ironton had four errors in a 10-0 five-inning loss to the Pirates.

The Fighting Tigers had just three hits. Kelly and Weber were 1-2 and Easterling 1-3.

Ironton plays at Green on Tuesday.

Ironton 110 00 = 2 10 1

Wheelersborg 318 2x = 14 12 0

Larry Morris, Trevor Easterling (3), Andy Bruce (1) and Hunter Weber. Chance Holbrook and Andrew Conn, Kyle Jenkins (4). W-Holbrook (K-2, BB-0, ER-2, HBP-1). L-Morris (IP-2, H-7, R-9, ER-9, K-0, BB-5). Easterling IP-3, R-3, ER-1, K-1, BB-0. Bruce IP-1, H-2, R-1, ER-1, K-1, BB-1. Hitting-Ironton: Luke Kelley 1-2, Luke Diamond 3-3 rbi, Lucas Campbell 1-2, Hunter Weber 2-2, Tanner Price 1-2, Dane Wilson 2-2 rbi; Wh: Tristan Browning 1-4, Garrett Carmichael 2-3 rbi, Wade Martin 2-3 rbi-4, Camron Parsley 1-4 rbi, Michael Green 1-2, Jacob Roe 2-3 rbi-4, Nick Marshall 1-3 rbi, Andrew Conn 1-2, Kyle Jenkins 1-1. 2B-Wh: Carmichael, Roe. Sac-Ironton: Luke Kelly. LOB-Ironton 6, Wheelersburg 6.

Second Game

Ironton 000 00 = 0 4 4

Wheelersborg 141 4x = 10 12 0

Derek Battise, Trevor Easterling (2), Andy Bruce (4) and Luke Kelley. Andrew Conn, Michael Green (5) and Kyle Jenkins. W-Conn (IP-4, H-2, K-6, BB-2, HBP-2). Green IP-1, H-1, K-2. L-Battise (IP-1, R-1, ER-0, K-1, BB-1). Easterling IP-2.33, H-9, R-8, ER-8, K-1, BB-2. Bruce IP-0.2, H-1. Hitting-Ironton: Trevor Easterling 1-3, Luke Kelly 1-2, Hunter Weber 1-2; Wh: Tyler Jenkins 1-3 rbi, Garrett Carmichael 2-3 rbi-3, Wade Martin 2-3, Camron Parsley 1-2 rbi, Andrew Risner 1-3 rbi, Kyle Jenkins 2-3 rbi-3, Andrew Conn 2-3 rbi. 2B-Wh: Tyler Jenkins, Andrew Risner, Andrew Conn. HR-Wh: Kyle Jenkins.