Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHILLICOTHE — This time Cinderella didn’t get the glass slipper.
The happy ending for this fairy tale season was written by the wicked queen as the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers fell 8-1 to the Wheelersburg Lady Pirates in the Division 3 regional championship game on Saturday.
With only one senior who was part of just the two veterans with any varsity experience, Ironton had battled its way to an impress 27-5 final record. But the hopes of the program’s first-ever state tournament berth were dashed by a 3-run third inning.
“Although the outcome wasn’t what we were looking for, we are coaches are truly blessed to have had this opportunity with this group of young ladies and I wouldn’t trade them for another team out there,” said Lady Tigers’ first-year coach Jim Dyer.
“We used an acronym WIN as the word for Whatever Is Necessary and we rolled with this all the way to the regional championship game where we just faced a good-hitting and well-coached Wheelersburg team.”
Ironton ace Keegan Moore’s pitches didn’t have the same movement in the cooler temperatures as she gave up nine hits, struck out five and walked two. All five runs were earned.
After a scoreless first inning, Wheelersburg broke the ice with two runs in the second.
Andi Jo Howard doubled to lead off the inning and Kiera Kennard sacrificed courtesy runner Sydney Salyers to third. Brynley Preston singled to drive in Salyers with the first run of the game.
Boo Sturgill walked and Haley Myers doubled to score courtesy runner Jaclin Thomas.
The Lady Pirates added a run in the third when Macee Eaton led off with a double and one out later Howard doubled.
Ironton got a run in the fourth inning with two outs.
Kylee Richendollar and Bella Sorbilli walked and Kiandra Martin singled to load the bases. Emily Weber lined a single to right field to score Richendollar.
The Lady Pirates tacked on a run in the fifth with two outs when Kennard doubled and came around to score.
Wheelersburg iced the outcome with four runs in the sixth inning.
Rileigh Lang and Sturgill doubled for a run to start the inning. Haley Myers singled and Macee Easton doubled in the runners and Sydney Skiver singled home the final run.
Ironton had four hits as Martin and Weber each went 2-for-3.
Howard got the win for Wheelersburg as she struck out nine, walked four and uncorked a wild pitch.
Sturgill, Myers, Eaton, Howard and Lang had two hits each for the Lady Pirates.
Ironton 000 100 0 = 1 4 0
Wheelrsbrg 031 014 x = 9 14 1
Keegan Moore and Graycie Brammer. Andi Jo Howard and Brynley Preston. W-Howard (IP-7.0, H-4, R-1, ER-1, K-9, BB-4, WP-1). L-Moore (IP-6, H-14, R-9, ER-9, K-5, BB-2). Hitting-Ironton: Kiandra Martin 2-3, Emily Weber 1-2 RBI; WHS: Boo Sturgill 2-3 2B RBI, Haley Myers 2-4 2B 2-RBI, Rylie Hughes 1-4, Macee Eaton 2-3 2B 2-RBI, Andi Jo Howard 2-4 2-2B RBI, Kiera Kennard 1-3, Sydney Skiver 1-4 RBI, 2B, Brynley Preston 1-3 RBI, Rileigh Lang 2-3 2B. LOB-Ironton 5, WHS 6. SB-Ironton: Kiandra Martin. Sac-WHS: Kiera Kennard.