Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Now, that’s how you play a sectional championship game.
Erika Bowman pitched a five-hit shutout and Brooke Webb’s solo home run was the only scoring as the Chesapeake Lady Panthers nipped the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers 1-0 in the Division III sectional finals on Friday.
Webb hit her home run with two outs in the third inning and Bowman made it stand up as she outdueled Ironton’s Mary Beth Burton.
Bowman struck out three and walked one in going the distance.
“Both pitchers threw great games and the defense was good. It was the way it’s supposed to be played,” said Chesapeake coach Aaron Rice.
“Bowman threw well. They were putting it in play but defensively we were making plays. And Webb always seem to get the clutch hit that we need.”
Burton also threw a five-hit complete game for Ironton. She struck out seven and walked two.
Chesapeake (13-9) will play Westfall at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday in the district semifinals at Unioto High School.
The teams split their regular season games in similar close fashion. Chesapeake won 3-2 and Ironton won 4-3.
Ironton (16-11) threatened in the third inning when Riley Schreck and Kenzie Cremeens singled and both runners moved up a base on the throw to third base.
But Bowman retired the next three batters to end the threat.
Ironton had a chance to score with one out in the fifth when Rylie Vaughn doubled but Bowman worked out of the jam.
Burton, Schreck, Cremeens and Demi Sands were all 1-3 with Vaughn going 1-2.
Chesapeake 001 000 0 = 1 5 0
Ironton 000 000 0 = 0 5 2
Erika Bowman and Katy Spears. Mary Beth Burton and Kenzie Cremeens. W-Bowman (K-3, BB-1). L-Burton (K-7, BB-2). Hitting-CHS: Katy Spears 1-4 2B, Brooke Webb 2-4 2B HR rbi, Ryleigh Swann 1-3, Rachel Pratt 1-3; Ironton: Mary Beth Burton 1-3, Riley Schreck 1-3, Kenzie Cremeens 1-3, Demi Sands 1-3, Rylie Vaughn 1-2 2B. LOB-Chesapeake 8, Ironton 5.