IRONTON — The expression on John Hunt’s face was all smiles while Expression Prep was left hunting for answers.
Ironton came out swinging to start the baseball season with the annual Mike Burcham Wood Bat Classic. The Fighting Tigers got 12 hits in a 21-1 rout of the Expression Prep Lions that gave Hunt a win in his career coaching debut.
Hunt glossed over his first career win and was frothing over winning 2 games, the second one by a run in.
In the second game, Ironton rallied from 5 runs down to beat the West Jefferson Roughriders 8-7.
“We have a great group of kids and it showed from the way they dealt with the adversity they overcame,” said Hunt.
Besides the hitting in the first game, Ironton starter Jayson Maddy won his varsity pitching debut as he gave up only one hit in four innings. Maddy gave up an unearned run, struck out 7 and walked 4.
Silas Ginger worked a scoreless inning as he struck out 2 of the 3 batters he faced.
The Fighting Tigers had 10 different players get hits as 18 different players saw action.
Jacob Hughes was 2-3 with a triple and 3 runs batted in and Beckett Townsend was 2-2 with 2 RBI.
Bryson Kerns was 1-1 with a 2-run double, Owen Gallion was 1-2, Nick Sites 1-3 with 2 RBI, Ian Ginger 1-1 with 2 RBI, Tanner Kleinman was 1-1 with an RBI, Carter Bridges 1-1 with a double, Carson Freeman 1-1 with a 2-run double, and Maddy was 1-3 with an RBI.
Ironton exploded for 12 runs in the first inning thanks to 10 walks. Kerns had a 2-run double, Ginger a 2-run single and Kleinman an RBI single.
Bryson Adkins got a two-out line drive single in the fourth inning for the only Lions hit..
Game 1
Expression 001 00 = 1 1 1
Ironton (12)35 1x = 21 12 0
Jackson Preservati, Bryson Adkins (1) and Will Hill. Jayson Maddy, Silas Ginger (5) and Ethan Sutton, Noah Jones 4). W-Maddy (IP-4.0,H-1, R-1, ER-0, K-7, BB-4). S. Ginger (IP-1.0, H-0, R-0, K-2, BB-0). L-Preservati (IP-0.1, H-3, R-12, ER-12, K-1, BB-9). Adkins (IP-3.2, H-9, R-9, ER-8, K-2, BB-5). Hitting-Expression Prep: Bryson Adkins 1-2; Ironton: Bryson Kerns 1-1 2-RBI 2B, Owen Gallion 1-2, Nick Sites 1-3 2-RBI, Braydon Baker RBI, Jacob Hughes 2-3 3-RBI 3B, Ian Ginger 1-1 2-RBI, Tanner Kleinman 1-1 RBI, Beckett Townsend 2-2 2-RBI, Carter Bridges 1-1 2B, Carson Freeman 1-1 2-RBI 2B, Jayson Maddy 1-2 RBI.
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The Comeback Kids?
Down 7-2 after 5 innings and by one run in the bottom of the 7th inning, the Fighting Tigers rallied in the bottom of the seventh to get an 8-7 win over the West Jefferson Roughriders in Saturday’s second game.
“It was a great feeling to see the kids have that type of comeback and close out that game,” said Hunt. “The kids never got down and just kept plugging away.”
Bryson Kerns led off with a double, Braydon Baker walked and Ian Ginger was intentionally walked.
That set the stage for Tanner Kleinman who delivered a two-run double to left field for the walk-off win.
Ironton (2-0) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Kerns walked, Tyler Roach singled, Baker hit a sacrifice fly and Roach scored on the outfield return throw to the infield.
West Jefferson took a 4-2 lead in the third when Blake Bogenrife hit a two-run homer and Brody York had a two-run double.
The Roughriders got a run in the fourth and two in the fifth thanks to an error.
But Ironton rallied with 4 runs in the sixth.
Roach singled, Baker was hit by a pitch and Ginger doubled for a run. Kleinman doubled home 2 runs, Dawson Philyaw singled and a run scored when Ethan Sutton hit into a fielder’s choice.
Kleinman was 2-4 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI. Roach also went 2-4.
Baker pitched a scoreless seventh to get the win.
Game 2
W. Jefferson 004 120 0 = 7 8 2
Ironton 200 004 2 = 8 7 2
Brodie Quinn, Brett Bogenrife (6) and Ayden Cordle. Ian Ginger, Jacob Hughes (4), Brayden Baker (7) and Ethan Sutton. W-Baker (IP-1.0, H-1, R-0, K-1, BB-1). Ginger IP-3.0, H-5, R-5, ER-4, K-7, BB-3). Hughes (IP-3.0, H-2, R-2, ER-0, K-1, BB-2). L-Bogenrife (IP-1.1, H-4, R-3, ER-3, K-2, BB-2). Quinn (IP-5.0, H-3, R-5, ER-5, K-5, BB-1). Hitting—West Jefferson: Blake Bogenrife 2-4 2-RBI HR, Zack Oyster 1-4, Brodie Quinn 2-3 2B, Brody York 2-4 2-RBI 2B, Colt Kincade 1-3; Ironton: Bryson Kerns 1-3 2B, Tyler Roach 2-4, Brayden Baker 2-RBI, Tanner Kleinman 2-4 4-RBI 2-2B, Dawson Philyaw 1-3.
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