Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

Good pitching will help get you off to a good start.

The Ironton Fighting Tigers got strong pitching in both games as they won twice on Saturday in the Mike Burcham Wood Bat Classic.

Ironton (2-0) beat the St. Joseph Flyers 11-1 in five innings and got past the Rock Hill Redmen 3-2.

Portsmouth West also won twice as the Senators beat the Fairland Dragons 8-1 and edged the Chesapeake Panthers 3-2.

Cody Rawlins pitched a two-hitter as Ironton downed the Flyers. He struck out six and did not walk a batter. The only run was unearned.

“Cody pitched real well. He kept the ball low in the zone and was able to get 15 of 18 first pitch strikes. He threw 51 strikes out of 63 pitches,” said Ironton coach Larry Goodwin.

Ironton had eight hits as Hunter Weber went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs batted in. Dane Wilson was 2-for-4, Andy Bruce had an RBI double, Kyle Kleinman and Luke Kelley RBI singles, and Garrett Carrico was 1-for-3.

Chris Lewis and Daniel Davidson were 1-for-2 for the Flyers.

In the second game, Wilson and Larry Morris combined on a three-hitter as Ironton held on to beat the Redmen.

‘We got good pitching, clutch hitting and pretty good defense and that’s a winning formula,” said Goodwin.

Sean McFann and Brandon Schob handled the Rock Hill pitching and allowed seven hits. The each struck out two and Schob walked the only batter.

Carrico and Bruce each went 2-for-3, Kelly had a two-run single and Richard Crockrel was 2-for-2 with an RBI.

Danny Long, Heath Carpenter and McFann all had singles.

Ironton visits Portsmouth on Tuesday while Rock Hill hosts its own Wood Bat Classic Monday and Wednesday.

St. Joseph 000 10 = 1 2 8

Ironton 620 21 = 11 8 2

Zac McGraw, Tyler Ward (3) and Gage Butler. Cody Rawlins and Hunter Weber. W-Rawlins (K-6, BB-0, ER-0). L-McGraw (IP-2, K-2, BB-3, R-8, ER-2, H-4). Hitting–SJ: Chris Lewis 1-2, Daniel Davidson 1-2; Ironton: Dane Wilson 2-4, Garrett Carrico 1-3, Luke Kelley 1-4 rbi, Hunter Weber 2-3 rbi-2, Andy Bruce 1-3, Kyle Kleinman 1-1 rbi. 2B-Ironton: Hunter Weber, Andy Bruce.

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Rock Hill 000 200 0 = 2 3 1

Ironton 111 000 x = 3 7 1

Sean McFann, Brandon Schob (4) and Cody Lewis. Dane Wilson, Larry Morris (4) and Hunter Weber. WP-Larry Morris (IP-3.1, K-4, BB-4, H-2, ER-2). Wilson IP-3.2, K-3, BB-1, H-1, R-0. LP-McFann (IP-3, H-5, R-3, ER-2, K-2, BB-0). Schob IP-3, K-2, BB-1, H-2, R-0. Hitting–RH: Sean McFann 1-4, Danny Long 1-1, Heath Carpenter 1-3, Gabe Marzicola rbi; Ironton: Garrett Carrico 2-3, Luke Kelley 1-2 rbi-2, Andy Bruce 2-3, Richard Crockrel 2-2 rbi.

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Portsmouth West 8, Fairland 1

R H E

Port. West 8 6 2

Fairland 1 3 2

WP – Pat Bays

LP – NA

PW: Wesley Book double, single, 2 SB; Landon Lazier 2 singles.

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Portsmouth West 3, Chesapeake 2

R H E

Ports. West 3 4 2

Chesapeake 2 4 1

WP – David Matey

LP – Jacob Henson

PW: Wesley Book 2 hits, Said Bishop 2 hits.