Waginger pitches Fighting Tigers past Minford, 8-3

Published 12:00 am Saturday, May 14, 2005

By keeping the Minford Falcons from getting any easy base runners, Jeff Waginger made things easy for the Ironton Fighting Tigers.

Waginger did not walk a batter as he pitched a six-hitter to lead Ironton to a 6-1 win over Miinford Friday.

"When you don't put people on base, it makes it a lot easier for your pitcher and it keeps your defense more alert," Ironton coach Mark Lewis said.

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Waginger struck out three as he went the distance to improve his record to 2-1. The only run he allowed was unearned.

"I threw (the knuckle-curve) a lot. It was working pretty good and I was keeping the ball down," Waginger said.After two scoreless innings, Ironton broke into the scoring column in the third inning.

With one out, J.J. Johnson beat out an infield hit, Brigham Waginger singled to right field and Dennis Gagai tripled them home. Josh Adkins singled to plate Gagai.

The lead went to 4-0 in the fourth inning. Patrick Kouns drilled a single to center field, stole second and rode home on a hit by Chris Rakes.

Ironton got another run in the fifth inning.

Gagai singled with one out and went to second on a wild pickoff attempt. He went to third base on a wild pitch and scored on Adkins' sacrifice fly to deep center field.

Ironton got its final run in the sixth inning when Rakes doubled and pinch-hitter Ryan Walker lined an RBI single to right field.

Minford (7-14) spoiled the shutout with a run in the seventh inning. Kennan Havens and Sean Childers singled and Ethan Gaines reached on a two-out error.

Gagai was 2-4 with two RBI, Rakes and Brigham Waginger 2-3 and Adkins had two RBI as he went 1-3.

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Jerod Farmer, Shawn Cook (5) and Chad Bentley. Jeff Waginger and Dustin Preston. W-Waginger, 2-1 (0-ER, 6-H, 3-K, 0-BB). WP-Cook. Sac-Minford: Kennan Havens. SF-Ironton: Josh Adkins. SB-Ironton: Chad Miller, Patrick Kouns. 2B-Ironton: Dustin Preston, Chris Rakes. 3B-Ironton: Dennis Gagai. Hitting-Minford: Jerod Farmer 2-4, Luke Lester 1-3, Shawn Cook 1-3, Keenan Havens 1-2, Sean Childers 1-2; Ironton: Brigham Waginger 2-3, Dennis Gagai 2-4 (2 RBI), Josh Adkins 1-3 (2-RBI), Dustin Preston 1-3, Chad Miller 1-3, Patrick Kouns 1-3, Chris Rakes 2-3 (RBI), J.J. Johnson 1-3, Ryan Walker 1-1 (RBI).