Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

PEDRO — With a tough win and a tough loss, the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers are starting to show some mental toughness.
Ironton rallied to beat the Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers 7-6 but lost 6-2 in the second game against the Westfall Lady Mustangs at the annual Queen of the Hill Classic on Saturday.
“Westfall has a really good team again this year. They hit the ball hard and in the gaps,” said Ironton coach Missy Fields.
“Clay is a solid team as well. Of course, I feel it makes you better to play strong, competitive teams. I was proud of my girls in both games because they never got down on themselves.”
In the first game, Clay scored two runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game. Elisa Collins singled, Jensen Warnock reached on an error and Shae Vasser doubled.
But Ironton answered in the bottom of the inning when Rylie Vaughn and Peighton Rowe both reached on errors, Taiya Hamlet was walked to load the bases and Mary Beth Burton delivered a clutch RBI single to score Vaughn with the winning run.
Ironton (2-1) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a triple by Kenzie Cremeens and a groundout by Rowe.
Ironton made it 2-0 in the third when Haylee Stevens singled, stole second, Kiandra Martin singled and Vaughn put down a sacrifice bunt.
Clay got four runs in the top of the fourth to lead 4-2 before Ironton got a run back in the bottom of the inning on singles by Hamlet and Riley Schreck and Demi Sands’ RBI ground out.
Ironton regained the lead with three runs in the fifth.
Martin reached on an error and Vaughn, Hamlet and Burton all singled and it was 6-4. That set the stage for the big seventh inning.
Hamlet was 2-3 and Burton 2-4 with two RBI to lead Ironton.
The second game was a rematch of the Division III district semifinal game of last spring, Westfall got by Ironton 6-2.
The Lady Mustangs came from behind to beat Ironton 12-9 last year in the district.
Ironton fell behind 4-0 and got a run in the fourth when Burton doubled, moved up on a passed ball and scored on a throwing error.
Westfall scored twice in the fifth to lead 6-1.
Ironton managed a run in the sixth when Burton got her second double, went to third on a hit by Demi Sands and scored on an error.
Burton was 2-3 as Ironton had six hits.
Ironton hosts Gallipolis on Monday.
Ports. Clay    000    400    2    =    6    10    4
Ironton        101    130    1    =    7    9    3
Hannah Oliver and Cassidy Wells. Peighton Rowe, Mary Beth Burton (6) and Kenzie Cremeens. W-Burton (IP-2, H-2, R-2, ER-1). Rowe (IP-5, H-8, R-4, ER-2, K-1, BB-0). L-Oliver (H-9, ER-3, K-4, BB-1). Hitting-Clay: Jensen Warnock 3-4 2B, Shae Vassar 2-4 2-rbi 2B, Megan Bazler 1-4 2B, Julia Swain 2-4 2B rbi, Elisa Collins 2-3 2-rbi; Ironton: Kenzie Cremeens 1-4 3B, Rylie Vaughn 1-2 2-rbi, Peighton Rowe rbi, Taiya Hamlet 2-3, Mary Beth Burton 2-4 2-rbi, Riley Schreck 1-3, Demi Sands rbi, Haylee Stevens 1-3, Kiandra Martin 1-3.
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Ironton       000    101    0    =    2    6    0
Westfall    202    020    x    =    6    8    3
Mary Beth Burton, Peighton Rowe (6) and Kenzie Cremeens. Stonerock and Mullins. W-Stonerock (K-2, BB-2, ER-2). L-Burton (IP-5.0, R-6, ER-6, K-1, BB-1) Rowe (IP-1.0). Hitting-Ironton: Kenzie Cremeens 1-4 2B, Peighton Rowe 1-3, Taiya Hamlet 1-4, Mary Beth Burton 2-3 2-2B, Demi Sands 1-3; WF: Darby Minor 2-3 2B, Marcy Dudgeon 2-3 rbi, Ayzia Fullen 1-2 rbi 2B, Emily Robinson 1-3 rbi-2, Josie Williams 1-3, Mullins 1-3.