Fighting Tigers Blank Panthers with No-Hitter

IRONTON — Braydon Baker just needed a little extra time to warm up in the cool temperatures.

Baker had a little trouble to begin Friday’s Ohio Valley Conference game, but once he got rolling he fired a five inning no-hitter as the Ironton Fighting Tigers blanked the Chesapeake Panthers 14-0.

Baker struck out 6, did not walk a batter but hit a pair.

“We have a lot of arms who we can throw out there on any given day and Braydon threw a really good game today,” said Ironton coach John Hunt.

“If this team comes to the park every day with the same focus and drive to get better individually and as a team, we have a good chance to be in every game.”

Chesapeake (1-6, 0-4) had just three baserunners. Kaiden Perkins led off the game and his fly ball was dropped in the outfield. Mason Budd was next up and was hit by a pitch.

D White was hit by a pitch with two outs, but Baker then retired the next 13 batters in a row.

Ironton (4-0, 2-0) got all the runs it needed by taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Bryson Kerns led off with a double and scored on a hit by Tyler Roach.

Ian Ginger and Jacob Hughes had doubles to produce the second run.

After a scoreless second inning, Ironton erupted for 12 runs in the third inning.

Baker was hit by a pitch, Ginger singled and Hughes doubled. Tanner Kleinman reached on an error and Carter Bridges, Dawson Philyaw and Nick Sites, Kerns and Roach all followed with singles.

Baker walked, Ginger singled and Hughes was safe on an error to cap the rally.

Ironton clubbed 17 hits with Ginger going 3-3 with a double and RBI, Philyaw 3-3, Roach 2-3 with 2 RBI, Kerns 2-4 and 2 RBI and a double, Hughes 2-3 with 2 RBI and 2 doubles, Bridges 2-3 with 2 RBI, Sites 1-2 with an RBI, and Jayson Maddy 1-1.

Chesapeake 000 00 = 0 0 2

Ironton 20(12) 0x = 14 17 1

Kaiden Perkins, Dylan White (3), Austin Collins (3) and Joe Cremeans. Braydon Baker and John Hughes. W-Baker (IP-5.0, H-0, R-0, K-6,BB-0). L-Perkins (IP-2.0, H-11, R-10, ER-10, K-0, BB-0) White (IP-1.0, H-5, R-4, ER-4, K-1, BB-1). Collins (IP-1.0, H-2, R-0, K-0, BB-0). Hitting—Chesapeake: None; Ironton: Bryson Kerns 2-4 2-RBI 2B, Tyler Roach 2-3 2-RBI, Braydon Baker 1-1 2B, Jayson Maddy 1-1, Ian Ginger 3-3 RBI 2B, Jacob Hughes 2-3 2-RBI 2-2B, Carter Bridges 2-3 2-RBI, Dawson Philyaw 3-3, Nick Sites 1-2 RBI.