Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHESAPEAKE — This one went down to the wire. Fortunately for the Chesapeake Lady Panthers, they know how to walk a tight rope.
Down a run with two outs, the Lady Panthers tied the game and then got a game-winning single on a 3-2 pitch by Erika Bowman as they edged the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers 3-2 in an Ohio Valley Conference game on Wednesday.
“She had a couple of good at bats previously in the game. She just got a pitch she could handle,” said Chesapeake coach Aaron Rice.
Chesapeake (3-2, 2-0) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Katy Spears singled and Brooke Webb doubled.
Ironton (2-2, 0-1) came back to take a 2-1 lead in the second inning.
Mary Beth Burton reached on a missed third strike and went to second on a passed ball. Demi Sands followed with a triple to score Burton and then came home on a wild pitch.
Ironton made the lead stand up until the bottom of the seventh inning.
Ashley Tackett singled and Ryleigh Swan put down a sacrifice bunt. The next batter grounded out as Tackett went to third.
But then Webb was walked intentionally and Lyric Bair and Jordan Storms both walked to force in a run and Bowman singled to drive in Webb with the winning run.
Webb got the win as she struck out six, walked four and gave up three hits.
“Webb threw pretty well. Pitching and defense are the key to the game and we didn’t have any errors. We made the plays we should make and gave ourselves a chance to win,” said Rice.
Burton took the loss as she struck out five, walked four and scattered nine hits.
Bowman went 3-for-4 with a double while Tackett was 2-3 with a double.
The Lady Fighting Tigers hosts Gallipolis on Thursday and then Chesapeake plays at Ironton on Friday.
Ironton       020    000    0    =    2    3    1
Chesapeake    100    000    2    =    3    9    0
Mary Beth Burton and Kenzie Cremeens. Brooke Webb and Katy Spears. W-Webb (K-6, BB-3, ER-0). L-Burton (K-5, BB-4, ER-3). Hitting-Ironton: Kenzie Cremeens 1-2 2B, Demi Sands 1-2 3B rbi, Kiandra Martin 1-3; CHS: Ryleigh Swan 1-3 2B, Katy Spears 1-4, Brooke Webb 1-2 rbi 2B, Jordan Storms 1-3 rbi, Erika Bowman 3-4 rbi 2B, Ashley Tackett 2-3 2B.