Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

The pitchers were in control and they had a lockdown grip.
Portsmouth Notre Dame’s Cassie Schaefer and Ironton’s Mary Beth Burton hooked up in a tight pitcher’s duel with the Lady Titans squeezing out a 2-1 win on Monday.
Schaefer gave up six hits — all singles — and struck out 13 while walking one. Burton also allowed just six hits as she struck out four and did not issue a walk.
Notre Dame got a run in the first inning.
Molly Hoover bunted for a single to start the inning and went to second and third on wild pitches.
Katie Detwiller got a two-out single to score Hoover.
The Lady Titans made it 2-0 in the fourth when Schaefer singled, moved to second on a ground out and scored when Collins was safe on an error.
Ironton (15-10) finally got a run in the sixth inning to make it 2-1.
Kenzie Cremeens reached on an error and went to third on a hit by Taiya Hamlet. Cremeens then scored when Hamlet stole second and there was a throwing error on the play.
Haylee Stevens followed with a base hit but Hamlet was thrown out at home.
Ironton hosts Southeastern at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Division III sectional tournament.
Notre Dame 100 100 0 = 2 6 2
Ironton 000 001 0 = 1 6 3
Cassie Schaefer and Baylee Webb. Mary Beth Burton and Kenzie Cremeens. W-Schaefer (K-13, BB-1, ER-0). L-Burton (K-4, BB-0, ER-1). Hitting-PND: Molly Hoover 2-3 2B, Issabel Cassidy 1-3, Katie Detwiller 1-3 rbi, Cassie Schaefer 2-3; Ironton: Mary Beth Burton 1-3, Peighton Rowe 1-3, Kenzie Cremeens 1-3, Taiya Hamlet 1-3, Demi Sands 1-3, Haylee Stevens 1-3.