Big 6th inning rally helps Tomcats pull away from Ironton

ASHLAND, Ky — When is a loss not a loss Trick question. It’s always a loss.

But despite losing 11-5 to the Ashland Tomcats on Tuesday, Ironton Fighting Tigers’ coach John Hunt saw a winning attitude.

“Believe it or not, I was more pleased with today’s effort than I have been in some of our wins. The kids kept battling and played well,” said Hunt.

Ashland (18-2) got single runs in each of the first two innings to lead 2-0.

In the first, Brady Marushi led off with a home run. In the second, Dawson Morris singled and Nolin Russell tripled.

The Tomcats made it 3-0 in the fifth when Marushi singled, Murphy hit into a force play but moved up on an error and scored on a wild pitch.

Ironton (9-4) finally got on the scoreboard with 2 runs in the sixth to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Bryson Kerns and Ethan Sutton singled, Jacob Hughes doubled home a run and Carter Bridges had a two-out RBI single.

But the Tomcats erupted for 8 runs in the bottom of the sixth to put the game away.

“We could not avoid that last big inning which cost us, but the effort and the way they competed today showed me a lot,” said Hunt.

Connor Flowers was hit by a pitch, Morris put down a sacrifice and Russell reached on an error to score Flowers.

Chase Morrison was safe on error and Marushi belted his second home run of the game.

Murphy walked, Ingram was hit by a pitch, Chandler Kiser walked, Asher Moore singled home 2 runs. Flowers was hit by a pitch,

Morris was safe on an error and Russell singled home the second one.

The Fighting Tigers got three runs in the seventh in a rally that was cut short.

With two outs, Kerns walked, Sutton doubled and a wild pitch scored Kerns.

Hughes doubled home Sutton and Tanner Kleinman singled home the final run.

Ironton had 10 hits with Hughes going 2-3 with two doubles and two RBI to pace the offense. Sutton was 2-3 with a double, Kerns 2-3, Bridges and Kleinman each 1-3 with an RBI, Dawson Philyaw 1-4 with an RBI, and Braydon Baker was 1-4.

Marushi was 3-4 with two home runs and 4 RBI to lead the Tomcats. Russell was 2-4 with a triple and 3 RBI and Morris 2-3.

Eli Foster went the distance to get the win for Ashland. He struck out 2, walked 4, gave up 10 hits and all 5 runs were earned.

Ironton 000 002 3 = 5 10 4

Ashland 110 018 x = 11 11 0

Dawson Philyaw, Bryson Kerns (4), Nathan Jones (6) and Ethan Sutton. Eli Foster and Brady Marushi. W-Foster (IP-7.0, H-10, R-5, ER-5, K-2, BB-4). L-Philyaw (IP-3.0, H-6, R-2, ER-2, K-1, BB-0). Kerns (IP-2.1, H-3, R-8, ER-0, K-3, BB-2). Jones (IP-0.2, H-2, R-1, ER-0, K-0, BB-0). Hitting–Ironton: Braydon Baker 1-4, Bryson Kerns 2-3, Ethan Sutton 2-3 2B, Jacob Hughes 2-3 2-2B 2-RBI, Tanner Kleinman 1-3 RBI, Dawson Philyaw 1-4 RBI, Carter Bridges 1-3 RBI; Ashland: Brady Marushi 3-4 2-HR 4-RBI, L.J. Murphy 1-3, Zane Ingram 1-3, Chandler Kiser 1-2 2B, Asher Moore 1-4 2-RBI, Connor Flowers 1-3, Dawson Morris 2-3, Nolin Russell 2-4 3B 3-RBI.