Free passes haunt Ironton in loss

Published 8:05 pm Sunday, April 7, 2024

By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHILLICOTHE — It was The Beatles who had the No.1 song “Ticket To Ride” and the theme of a free pass to ride is haunting the Ironton Fighting Tigers.

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A hit batsman came around to score and 2 walks help generate another run as Ironton lost 5-1 to the Indian Creek Redskins on Saturday at Veterans Stadium

“We played pretty good defense but we didn’t get the big hits when we needed them, and even though our pitching wasn’t bad, we’re still putting too many runners on bases. Walks and hit batsmen are coming around to score,” said Ironton coach Travis Wylie.

Ironton outhit Indian Creek 9-8 but could not get a key hit.

Each team scored a run in the third inning.

The Redskins used a walk to Nick Mauer, who stole second, took third on a hit by Sal Barcalow and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ty Householder.

Ironton (3-4) answered in the bottom of the inning with 2 outs.

Connor Kleinman single, took second on a wild pitch and scored on a hit to left field by Ian Ginger.

The Fighting Tigers threatened in the fourth when Chaydan Kerns lined a base hit, Braydon Baker bunted for a hit and Tanner Kleinman singled to load the bases. But a force out at home and a runner thrown out on the base paths ended the inning.

Indian Creek came alive in the fifth inning to score 4 times.

Mauer led off with a single and Barcalow was hit by a pitch. Householder doubled for a run, a wild pitch scored the second run, a triple by Landon Pownall made it 4-1 and Hunter Rusnak’s base hit scored the final run.

Ironton left 2 runs on base in each of the last 3 innings.

Jon Wylie and Ginger each went 2-4 for Ironton, Baker was 2-2, Connor Kleinman 1-2, Tanner Kleinman 1-3 and Kearns 1-4.

Mauer was 2-2, Landon Pownall 2-3 with a triple and RBI, Rusnak 1-3 with an RBI, Stan Amis 1-2 and Householder 1-4 with a double and 2 RBI.

The Fighting Tigers play at Portsmouth on Monday.

Indian Creek 001 040 0 = 5 8 1

Ironton     001 000 0 = 1 9 0

Sal Barcalow, s. Hyde (4), Gavin Pownall (7) and Hunter Rusnak. Chaydan Kerns, Ian Ginger (5), Dawson Philyaw (6) and Brady Moatz. W-Hyde (IP-2.1, H-2, R-0, K-1, BB-1). Barcalow (IP-3.2, H-6, R-1, ER-1, K-3,BB-1). Pownall (IP-1.0, H-1, R-0, K-2, BB-1). L-Kerns (IP-4.0, H-5, R-3, ER-3, K-4,BB-4, HBP-1). Ginger (IP-1.1, H-3, R-2, ER-2, K-2, BB-1, WP-1). Philyaw (IP-1.2, H-0, R-0, K-0, BB-0)). Hitting-Indian Creek: Nick Mauer 2-2, Sal Barcalow 1-3, Ty Householder 1-4 2B 2-RBI, Landon Pownall 2-3 3B RBI, Hunter Rusnak 1-3 RBI, Stan Amis 1-2; Ironton: Jon Wylie 2-4, Connor Kleinman 1-2, Ian Ginger 2-4, Chaydan Kerns 1-4, Braydon Baker 2-2, Tanner Kleinman 1-3.