Tigers shutout Pointers to advance to district finals

LOGAN — Even an idle threat can help produce serious results.

Despite being 10 minutes apart, the Ironton Fighting Tigers and South Point Pointers met in the Division 5 district semifinals on Wednesday at a field two hours away.

And on top of that, Ironton’s bus broke down on the highway during their trip to play the game.

Ironton head coach John Hunt used the situation to issue his team an ultimatum.

Well, sort of.

“We told the kids before the game they would send a bus if we won,” said Hunt with a chuckle.

Even though it was just a joke, the Fighting Tigers played like it was real as they turned in a strong team effort to back the pitching of Braydon Baker to beat the Pointers 4-0.

Baker gave up five hits in going the distance. He struck out one, hit three batters but did not issue a walk.

“Today was the best these guys have played as a team all year. The team defense was superb,” said Hunt.

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“We had multiple great plays by our defense and Braydon pitched a heck of a game.

He got into a few James and pitched himself out. It was just a tremendous all-around game from these guys.”

Ironton (17-3) will play Minford at 7 p.m. on Friday at Ohio University’s Bob Wren Stadium for the district championship.

Ironton scored what proved to be the only run needed in the first inning.

Bryson Kerns walked, Tyler Roach had an infield hit that allowed Kerns to go to third base. Jacob Hughes hit a one-out sacrifice fly to center field to score Kerns for a 1-0 lead.

Ironton tacked on three more runs in the third inning after two outs.

Roach walked and Ian Ginger, Hughes and Baker all followed with base hits.

Roach went 2-2 to lead Ironton. Hughes was 1-2 with 2 runs batted in, Ginger and Baker each 1-3 with an RBI and Carson Freeman was 1-2.

South Point’s Brayden Hanshaw — who threw a no-hitter in the first game of the tournament — pitched well in defeat as he gave up six hits, four earned runs with seven strikeouts and two walks.

The Pointers (11-8) had only one real threat when they loaded the bases in the first inning.

Ethan Layne singled, Joey Lobaldo reached on an error and Caesyn Pope was hit by a pitch with two outs. But Baker got the next batter on a comebacker to end the inning.

Pope was 2-2, Ryder Pratt 1-2, Owen Tabor 1-3 and Layne 1-4 to account for South Point’s hitting.

South Point  000 000 0 = 0 5 0

Ironton         103 000 x = 4 6 1

Brayden Hanshaw and Ethan Layne. Braydon Baker and Jacob Hughes. W–Baker (IP-7.0, H-5, R-0, K-1, BB-0, HBP-3). L–Hanshaw (IP-6.0, H-6, R-4, ER-4, K-7, BB-2). Hitting–South Point: Ethan Layne 1-4, Caesyn Pope 2-2, Owen Tabor 1-3, Ryder Pratt 1-2; Ironton: Tyler Roach 2-2, Ian Ginger 1-3 RBI, Jacob Hughes 1-2 2-RBI, Braydon Baker 1-3 RBI, Carson Freeman 1-2.