Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHESAPEAKE — TK provided a TKO.
Trevor Kleinman delivered a technical knockout with his pitching performance as the Ironton Fighting Tigers beat the Chesapeake Panthers 12-1 in a 5-inning Ohio Valley Conference game on Thursday.
Kleinman went 4 innings and allowed just 2 hits, an earned run with 7 strikeouts and no walks to get the win. Ashton Duncan pitched the fifth inning giving up a hit and a walk but striking out all 3 outs.
Ironton banged out 16 hits led by Cole Freeman who was 4-4 with a double and 2 runs batted in. Kyle Howell was 2-4 with a double, Nate Bias 3-3 with 2 RBI, Ryan Ashley 1-3 and 2 RBI and Kleinman was 2-3 with an RBI.
Kaleb Stepp was 1-1 and Jacob Daniels and Austin Henderson 1-2 to account for all the Chesapeake hits.
Ironton (8-3, 4-1) opened the game with a 6-run first inning.
Howell led off with a double and Jon Wylie sacrificed him to third. Cameron Deere single in Howell and Jacob Sloan followed with a double. Ashley singled to score Deere and Sloan scored on an error.
Freeman, Ashley and Kleinman all singled for a run and Bias lined a 2-run single.
The Fighting Tigers added a run in the third to make it 7-0 on singles by Freeman, Kleinman and Bias.
Ironton built a 10-0 lead in the top of the fourth with 3 more runs.
Wylie singled, stole second and scored when Deere reached on an error. Sloan was safe on an error and Ashley hit a sacrifice fly. Freeman then doubled scoring Sloan.
Chesapeake got its run in the bottom of the inning when Austin Henderson singled, stole second and was able to score on a dropped third strike and Ironton was forced to throw the ball to first base to get the out.
Ironton came back to score in the fifth when Wylie, Peyton Aldridge and Rocky White all walked to load the bases and a wild pitch scored Wylie. Freeman got an RBI single to make it 12-1.
On Friday, Ironton entertains Rock Hill and Chesapeake host South Point.
Ironton 601 32 = 12 16 0
Chesapeake 000 10 = 1 3 4
Trevor Kleinman, Ashton Duncan (5) and Cole Freeman. Isaiah Walsh, Hunter Evans (5) and Travis Grim. W-Kleinman (IP-4.0, H-2, ER-1, K-7, BB-0). Duncan (IP-1.0, H-1, R-0, K-3, BB-1). L-Walsh (IP-4.0, H-15, R-10, ER-7, K-1, BB-1). Evans (IP-1.0, H-1, R-2, ER-2, K-1, BB-3). Hitting-Ironton: Kyle Howell 2-4 2B, Jon Wylie 1-2, Cameron Deere 1-3 RBI, Jacob Sloan 1-3 2B, Ryan Ashley 1-3 2-RBI, Cole Freeman 4-4 2B 2-RBI, Trevor Kleinman 2-3 RBI, Nate Bias 3-3 2-RBI, Connor Kleinman 1-3; Chesy: Austin Henderson 1-2, Isaiah Walsh RBI, Jacob Daniels 1-2, Kaleb Stepp 1-1.