Tiger bats pile up 15 hits to beat Blue Devils, remain atop OVC standings

GALLIPOLIS — Ironton was taking its games one at a time and decided their key game against Gallia Academy, they would cross that bridge when they got there.

The game came on Tuesday as the Fighting Tigers decided they’d cross the Carter Bridges against the Blue Devils.

Bridges went 3-4 with a double, home run and 3 runs batted in to lead a 15-hit attack and spark Ironton to an 8-3 must-win in an Ohio Valley Conference showdown.

“That was the best all-around game we have played all year,” said Ironton coach John Hunt. “The pitching, the defense and the offense were clicking today.”

Ironton is now 12-4 and more importantly 11-2 in the OVC, pulling into a first place tie with Portsmouth.

Gallia Academy dropped to 15-7 on the season and into second place with a 10-3 OVC record.

Besides Bridges, Bryson Kerns was 2-3 with a triple and 2 RBI, Braydon Baker 2-4, Jacob Hughes 1-3 with a double, Tanner Kleinman 1-4, Carson Freeman 2-4 with an RBI, and both Dawson Philyaw and Silas Ginger 2-4.

Baker got the win in relief as he went the final 5 innings. Baker gave up 4 hits, no runs with 8 strikeouts and only one walk.

“I was very proud of the kids. They played hard,” said Hunt.

Ironton got 4 runs in the first inning with one out.

Kerns tripled and scored on Ethan Sutton’s ground ball. Hughes followed with a double, Kleinman singled and Bridges unloaded his home run to clear the bases.

The Blue Devils got a run in the bottom of the inning when Jaxon Myers and Beckett Camden walked and Logen Drummond reached on an error.

Gallia Academy drew within 4-3 in the second inning.

Maddox Delaney led off with a triple and Colten Reed walked. Two outs later, Camden doubled home both runners.

Ironton got a run back in the fourth on singles Ginger and Baker and a wild pitch.

The Fighting Tigers scored 3 more runs in the fifth inning to open up the 8-3 lead.

With one out, Bridges doubled, Philyaw singled and Freeman reached on a fielder’s choice. Ginger, Baker and Kerns all followed with singles.

Ironton visits Rock Hill on Wednesday and hosts Green on Thursday.

Gallia Academy goes to Coal Grove Wednesday in its final OVC game.

Ironton 400 130 0 = 8 15 2

Gallia Acad. 120 000 0 = 3 6 0

Jacob Hughes, Braydon Baker (3) and Ethan Sutton. Logen Drummond and Logan Kenney. W-Baker (IP-5.0, H-4, R-0, ER-0, K-8, BB-1). Hughes (IP-2.0, H-2, R-3, ER-2, K-3, BB-3). L-Drummond (IP-7.0, H-15, R-8, ER-8, K-3, BB-2). Hitting–Ironton: Braydon Baker 2-5, Bryson Kerns 2-3 3B 2-RBI, Ethan Sutton RBI, Jacob Hughes 1-3 2B, Tanner Kleinman 1-4, Carter Bridges 3-4 2B HR 3-RBI, Dawson Philyaw 2-4, Carson Freeman 2-4 RBI, Silas Ginger 2-4; Gallia Academy: Jaxon Myers 1-3, Beckett Camden 2-3 2B 2-RBI, Logen Drummond RBI, Brady Conley 1-4, Maddux Delaney 2-3 3B.