Tigers hold off late rally for 4-2 win over Blue Devils

“Well, shake it up baby, now

Twist and Shout

C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon baby now

Come on and work it on out.”

—The Beatles

IRONTON — The Ironton Fighting Tigers got a little shaky in the seventh inning, but pitcher Braydon Baker and the defense worked it on out as they posted a 4-2 Ohio Valley Conference win on Wednesday.

“We got a little shaky in the top of the seventh, but the kids stayed calm and finished it out,” said Ironton coach John Hunt.

“Braydon pitched a great game. He had to stay mentally tough through the rough last inning to nail down the game.”

Baker got the complete game win as he gave up just 5 hits, one earned run, with 5 strikeouts and one walk.

Ironton (11-1, 9-0) had just 4 hits but they used their hits well as they scored all their runs in the fourth inning.

“We had a lot of balls hit right at people today. It was one of those types of days,” said Hunt. “But our defense played great.”

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Gallia Academy (5-11, 4-4) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Tyler Young walked, went to second on a wild pitch, took third on a ground out and scored on a hit by Maddux Delaney.

But Ironton took the lead for good in the second.

Ian Ginger got a walk to leadoff and Jacob Hughes doubled him home. Tanner Kleinman and Carter Bridges walked to load the bases  Hughes scored on a passed ball, Nick Sites and Bryson Kerns both walked to force home 2 runs and Tyler Roach hit into a fielder’s choice to score the final run.

The score remained 4-1 until the seventh inning when the Blue Devils mounted a rally.

Nathan Shockey reached on an error to start the inning. After a fly out and an error, Matthew Foster singled and Young hit into a fielder’s choice for a run.

But Baker got the next batter out on a fly ball to left field to end the game.

Hughes was 1-3 with a double and an RBI while Ginger, Kleinman and Bridges all went 1-2.

Delaney was 1-3 with an RBI, Jaxon Myers and Foster 1-3, Conley 1-2 and Camden 1-4 for the Blue Devils.

Gallia Acad. 100 000 1 = 2 5 0

Ironton 040 000 x = 4 4 3

Maddux Delaney, Matthew Foster (2), Kennedy (4) and Toler. Braydon Baker and Jacob Hughes. W-Baker (IP-7.0, H-5, R-2, ER- 1, K-6, BB-1). L-Delaney (IP-1.1, H-1, R-4, ER-4, K-1, BB-5). Foster (IP-1.1, H-1, R-0, K-0, BB-1). Kennedy (IP-2.1, H-2, R-0, K-2, BB-0). Hitting-Gallia Academy: Beckett Camden 1-4, Maddux Delaney 1-3 RBI, Brady Conley 1-2, Jaxon Myers 1-3, Matthew Foster 1-3; Ironton: Ian Ginger 1-2, Jacob Hughes 1-3 RBI 2B, Tanner Kleinman 1-2, Carter Bridges 1-2.