Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

Earlier this season, Mary Beth Burton flirted with a no-hitter, twice throwing two-hitters.
On Friday, Burton finally made a date with a no-hitter as she held the Chesapeake Lady Panthers hitless in a 3-0 Ohio Valley Conference win.
Burton struck out 14 and did not walk a batter.
An Ironton error on the game’s leadoff batter Ashley Tackett was the only thing that prevented Burton from pitching a perfect game.
“Mary Beth was throwing heat tonight,” said Ironton coach Missy Fields. “She had an awesome game in the circle.”
Ericka Bowman was the tough-luck loser. She gave up five hits, struck out seven and walked two. Two of the runs were earned.
Ironton (17-1, 9-0) gave Burton the only run she really needed when Kiandra Martin belted a one-out solo home run in the third inning.
“Kiandra Martin hit a bomb over the left field fence. It was sweet,” said Fields.
“This group has great chemistry. They play so well as a team.”
The Lady Tigers added a couple of insurance runs in the sixth.
Burton singled, went to second on Peighton Rowe’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Taiya Hamlet’s base hit.
Hamlet went to second on a passed ball, advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch.
Hamlet went 2-3 with an RBI.
Chesapeake 000 000 0 = 0 0 2
Ironton 001 002 x = 3 5 1
Ericka Bowman and Katy Perry. Mary Beth Burton and Demi Sands. W-Burton (K-14, BB-0). L-Bowman (K-7, BB-2, ER-2). Hitting-Ironton: Mary Beth Burton 1-3, Taiya Hamlet 2-3 rbi, Riley Schreck 1-3, Kiandra Martin 1-2 HR rbi.