Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

CROOKSVILLE — In most situations, 5-out-of-6 would be pretty good.

Not in baseball.

Ironton played well for five innings but gave up four runs in the sixth inning as the Fighting Tigers lost 5-0 to the Crooksville Ceramics Thursday in the Division III sectional tournament.

Crooksville’s Chris Sparks pitched a four-hitter and struck out eight to get the win. He did not walk a batter.

Ironton’s Derek Battise threw well in defeat. He allowed just six hits, struck out four and walked four.

“Both pitchers threw well. We played well for five innings. We had one bad defensive inning in the sixth and it cost us,” said Ironton coach Larry Goodwin.

The game was scoreless over the first four innings. Crooksville got an unearned run in the fifth when Nate Daniels reached on an error, moved up on a passed ball and scored on a hit by Austin Frecker.

The Ceramics scored four runs in the sixth inning on a single by Jeffrey Patrick, a double by Dalton Rolison, a hit batsman and four walks.

Ironton threatened in the fourth when Luke Diamond singled and Battise reached on an error but both were left stranded.

Hunter Weber doubled and Luke Kelly singled in the fifth but Weber was thrown out trying to score.

Hunter Klaiber, Weber, Kelly and Diamond were all 1-for-3.

Ironton 000 000 0 = 0 4 2

Crooksville 000 014 x = 5 6 1

Derek Battise and Hunter Weber. Chris Sparks and Nate Daniels. W-Sparks (K-8, BB-0). L-Battise (K-4, BB-4, HBP-1). Hitting-Ironton: Luke Diamond 1-3, Hunter Weber 1-3, Hunter Klaiber 1-3, Luke Kelly 1-3; Crooksville: Chris Orecchio 1-3 rbi, Jeffrey Patrick 1-4, Dalton Rolison 1-3 rbi, Steven Tayler 1-3, Austin Frecker 1-2 rbi-2, Chris Williams 1-3. 2B-Ironton: Hunter Weber; Crooksville: Dalton Rolison. LOB-Ironton 4, Crooksville 7.