Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

ROCKSPRINGS — The Ironton Fighting Tigers took the early lead and then defended their ground.
Ironton jumped out to an early 7-0 lead and went on to beat the Meigs Marauders 7-4 in the Division III sectional tournament semifinals on Wednesday.
Ironton (13-14) will play at 11 a.m. Saturday at Wheelersburg.
After a scoreless first inning, Ironton got a pair of runs in the second.
Collin Freeman and Ryan Ashley singled and Gunnar Crawford hit into a force play as a run scored and Ashley went to third.
Beau Brownstead was hit by a pitch and Jacob Sloan squeezed a run home.
The lead went to 7-0 in the top of the third.
Brycen Thomas walked and Ethan Duncan doubled him home. Kyle Howell singled home Duncan and took second on the throw home.
Freeman was hit by a pitch and stole second. Ashley grounded out as a run scored.
Crawford was hit by a pitch and Brownstead had an RBI single. Brownstead moved up on a passed ball and Cameron Deere singled in a run.
Meigs got two runs back in the bottom of the inning.
With one out, W Smith singled, Cory Cox walked and Cole Arnott had an RBI single. Matt Gilkey walked and Andrew Dodson singled in a run.
The Marauders added an unearned run in the fourth.
Landon Acree reached on an error, went to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on a two-out hit by Cory Cox.
Meigs put together a threat in the bottom of the sixth.
Wyatt Hoover walked and Wesley Smith bunted for a hit. Reliever Ashton Duncan then walked Cox to load the bases.
Duncan struck out the next batter, got a short fly out to center field and then a line out to centerfielder Ethan Duncan to end the inning.
The Marauders tried to start something in the bottom of the seventh went Andrew Dodson and Cameron Burnem both reached on errors to start the inning and moved up on a passed ball.
Alex Pierce grounded out as Dodson scored but Ashton Duncan got the next batter to hit into a game-ending double play.
Ethan Duncan went 2-4 with a double and a run batted in while Brownstead was 2-2 with a double and an RBI as Ironton collected 10 hits.
Sloan worked five innings for the win. He gave up three runs — two earned – and six hits while striking out two and walking four.
Ashton Duncan got the save with two innings of work. He fanned one, walked one, did not allow a hit and the only run he allowed was unearned.
Ironton 025 000 0 = 7 10 3
Meigs 002 100 0 = 4 6 1
Jacob Sloan, Ashton Duncan (6) and Brycen Thomas. Matt Gilkey, Briar Wolfe (3) and Cole Arnott. W-Sloan (IP-5.0, H-6, R-3, ER-2, K-2, BB-4, HBP-1). Save-A. Duncan (IP-2.0, H-0, R-1, ER-0, K-1, BB-1). L-Gilkey (IP-2.0, H-6, R-6, ER-6, K-0, BB-1, HBP-2). Wolfe (IP-5.0, H-4, R-1, ER-1, K-8, BB-2, HBP-1). Hitting-Ironton: Cameron Deere 1-4, Brycen Thomas 1-3, Ethan Duncan 2-4 2N rbi, Kyle Howell 1-3 rbi, Collin Freeman 1-3, Ryan Ashley 1-4 rbi, Gunnar Crawford 1-2, Beau Brownstead 2-2 2B rbi; Meigs: Cory Cox 1-2 rbi, Cole Arnott 1-3 rbi, Matt Gilkey 1-3, Andrew Dodson 1-4, Wesley Smith 2-3.