Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WHEELERSBURG — The Ironton Fighting Tigers were in a gift-giving mood.
Five walks and two errors helped Wheelersburg build an early lead and the Pirates went on to beat the Fighting Tigers 14-4 in six innings to win the Division III sectional tournament.
Ironton (13-15) jumped in front 2-0 in the top of the first inning.
Cameron Deere, Brycen Thomas and Ethan Duncan all singled for the first run. With Thomas at third, Ironton tried a double steal with Duncan thrown out at second but Thomas scored.
The Pirates came back with tow run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game thanks to three walks and singled by Cole Ratcliff and Will Darling.
A walk, a sacrifice and an RBI single by Jalen Miller gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead in the second.
Wheelersburg got five runs in the third inning with the help of Ironton.
An error, a sacrifice and another error scored the first run. Another walk and three straight singles by Brady Warren, Trey Carter and Connor Mullins capped the rally.
The Fighting Tigers answered with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth and it was 8-4.
Duncan and Kyle Howell singled and Collin Freeman walked to load the bases. Duncan was thrown out at home trying to score on a short fly ball but Gunnar Crawford singled home Howell and Beau Brownstead’s base hit drove home Freeman.
The Pirates used five singles to score four runs in the fifth inning to lead 12-4.
In the sixth, Warren was hit by a pitch, Carter singled and after a wild pitch they both scored on a hit by Mullins.
Duncan capped a solid career by going 2-3 with an RBI as Ironton had seven hits. His only out came in the fifth inning when he was robbed of a home run.
Deere and Howell were 1-2, Brownstead 1-2 with an RBI, Thomas 1-3 and Crawford 1-3 with an RBI.
Ironton 200 200 = 4 7 2
Wheelersburg 215 042 = 14 13 0
Ryan Ashley, Ethan Duncan (3), Kyle Howell (6) and Brycen Thomas. Trey Carter, Jalen Miller (5) and Cooper Mckenzie. W-Carter (IP-4.0, H-7, R-4, ER-4, K-4, BB-2). Miller (IP-2.0, H-0, R-0, K-2, BB-1). L-Ashley (IP-2.2, H-4, R-7, ER-3, K-0, BB-5). Duncan (IP-2.2, H-7, R-5, ER-5, K-2, BB-1). Howell (IP-0.1, H-2, R-2, ER-2). Hitting-Ironton: Cameron Deere 1-2, Brycen Thomas 1-3, Ethan Duncan 2-3 rbi, Kyle Howell 1-2, Gunnar Crawford 1-3 rbi, Beau Brownstead 1-2 rbi; WHS: Trey Carter 2-3 2-rbi, Connor Mullins 3-4 4-rbi, Jalen Miller 2-3 2-rbi, Cole Ratcliff 2-43-rbi, Will Darling 2-4 2-rbi, Brady Warren 2-3.