By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

The weather was tough. So was the outcome for the Ironton Fighting Tigers.

Ironton opened the season on Saturday in the cold and wind, losing 6-2 to a strong Boyd County Lions team and then battling the West Jefferson Roughriders to a 7-7 tie in 9 innings.

“It was a tough opening day. We faced two good teams who had real good pitchers,” said Ironton coach Travis Wylie.

“We had a few bad innings for the day that put us behind. We battled back in the last game a few times to just keeps in the game. We learned a lot about our team and we just look to get better.”

In the first game,

Ironton took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Jon Wylie reach on an error and scored when Cole Freeman was safe on another error.

The Lions (3-3) took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth.

Alex Martin singled and stole second and third. Brogan Jones walked and a run scored when Jason Ellis grounded out. Th second run scored on a wild pitch.

Ironton tied the game in the bottom of the inning.

Freeman walked, Nate Bias singled, Connor Kleinman walked to load the bases and Freeman scored when Ian Ginger grounded out.

The Lions’ winning rally began in the seventh with Jacob Vanover drawing a walk. Jake Biggs singled, Luke Preston walked to load the bases and Gunner Gerahart grounded out as the tie-breaking run scored.

Martin grounded out for another run, Jones walked and Ellis had an RBI double. An error scored the final run.

Ironton had just two hits as Chaydan Kerns and Bias each singled.

In the second game, West Jefferson took a 4-0 lead in the top of the third when Ethan Miller hit a grand slam home run after a hit batsman, dropped third strike and a walk loaded the bases.

Ironton came back with 2 runs in the bottom of the inning on doubles by Matt Sheridan and Trevor Kleinman and a sacrifice fly by Bias.

The Roughriders went up 6-2 in the fifth on four walks and a single by Gavin Campbell.

Ironton tied the game in the bottom of the seventh.

Kerns singled, Sheridan hit into a force out, Jon Wylie and Trevor Kleinman walked to load the bases.

Bias and Connor Kleinman singled in runs and an error on the play scored 2 more runs.

Each team got a run in the ninth.

Miller and Schneider singled and Miller came around when he stole home.

Ironton got its runs when Trevor Kleinman walked, stole second and scored on a hit by Connor Kleinman.

Ironton had 8 hits with Connor Kleinman going 3-5.

First Game

Boyd Co. 000 002 4 = 6 7 3

Ironton     001 001 0 = 2 2 2

Jacob Vanover, Towne Young (6) and Brogan Jones. Trevor Kleinman, Nate Bias (5), Ian Ginger (7). W-Young (IP- 2.0, H-1, R-1, ER-1, K-3, BB-2). Vanover (IP-5.0, H-1, R-1, ER-1. K-7, BB-1, Balk-1). L-Ginger (IP-1.0, H-2, R-4, ER-3, BB-3, WP-1). Kleinman (IP-4.0, H-3, R-0, K-6, BB-3). Bias (IP-2.0, H-2, R-2, ER-2, K-1, BB-2). Hitting-BC: Jake Biggs 1-3, Luke Preston 2-3, Gunner Gerahart 1-3, Alex Martin 1-4, Brogan Jones 1-2, Jason Ellis 1-2 2B 2-RBI; Ironton: Nate Bias 1-3, Chaydan Kearns 1-3.

Second Game

W. Jefferson 004 020 001 = 7 5 5

Ironton     002 000 401 = 7 8 1

Ethan Miller, Canyon Schneider (8) and Heiser. Jon Wylie, Jacob Sloan (5), Chaydan Kerns (8) and Nate Bias, Cole Freeman (6). Wylie (IP-4.0, H-1, R-4, ER-3, K-9, BB-4, HPB-1). Sloan (IP-3.0, H-2, R-2, ER-2, K-1, BB-5, WP). Kearns (IP-2.0, H-1, R-1, ER-1, K-2, BB-2). Miller (IP-7.0, H[7, R-6, ER-4, K-1, BB-4, WP-2). Schneider (IP-2.0, H-1, R-1, ER-1, K-3, BB-1). Hitting-WJ: Ethan Miller 2-3 HR 4-RBI, Canyon Schneider 2-4, Gavin Campbell 1-3 2-RBI; Ironton: Trevor Kleinman 1-3 2B RB, Nate Bias 1-4 2-RBI, Connor Kleinman 3-5 RBI, Tanner Moore 1-1, Chaydan Kerns 1-4, Matt Sheridan 1-4 2B.