Wallace, HRs send Lady Tigers to district tourney

IRONTON — There was an old TV show called Hee Haw that can be seen in reruns. One bit has Buck Owens and Roy Clark playing the guitar and banjo — respectively — and singing.

Owens says “I’m a pickin’” and Clark says “And I’m a grinnin.”

Ironton's Braylin Wallace gets ready to let go of a pitch during Thursday's sectional title game against the Portsmouth Lady Trojans. (Photo by Tim Gearhart)

The Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers had Braylin Wallace a pitchin’ and Graycie Brammer, Khamil Martin and Katelyn Moore grippin’ and rippin’.

Wallace fired a 2-hitter while Brammer, Martin and Moore all hit 2-run home runs in a 9-0 win over the Portsmouth Lady Trojans to claim the Division 3 sectional title on Thursday.

Wallace struck out 10 and walked 2 as she went the distance and got the win.

Ironton (18-5) will play Meigs at 5:30 p.m. on Monday at Unioto High School in the district semifinals.

The Lady Fighting Tigers went up 2- in the first inning on a leadoff double by Brammer and a 2-run homer by Martin.

Ironton used the long ball again in the second inning to help score 4 times.

Katie Williams singled to start the inning and Brammer drilled a line drive home run to left and it was 4-0.

Martin walked and Moore belted a 2-out, 2-run home run and it was 6-0.

The Lady Fighting Tigers got a run in the third when Emily Weber singled, Williams walked and Martin had an RBI single.

The Lady Fighting Tigers added a pair of insurance runs in the fifth with 2 outs.

Brammer singled, Martin walked and Aubrey Ferguson singled to load the bases. Layla Townsend had an infield hit for an RBI and Brammer scored on a passed ball.

Moore went 3-3 with the home run and 2 RBI, Breammer 3-4 with a double, home run and 2 RBI, and Martin 2-2 with a home run and 3 RBI.

Ferguson was 2-4 with an RBI, Townsend 1-1 with an RBI, Weber 1-4 and Williams 1-3.

Madison Ankrom singled in the first inning and Karlee Galloway in the fifth for the only Portsmouth (8-14) hits.

Portsmouth 000 000 0 = 0 2 1

Ironton     241 020 x = 9 13 1

Katie Ankrom, Olivia Dickerson (2) and Bailey Waughtel. Braylin Wallace and Graycie Brammer. W-Wallace (IP-7.0, H-2, R-0, K-10, BB-2, WP-1). L-Ankrom (IP-1.2, H-7, R-6, ER-6, K1, BB-2). Dickerson (IP-4.1, H-6, R-3, ER-3, K-2, BB-3). Hitting-Portsmouth: Madison Ankrom 1-3, Karlee Galloway 1-3; Ironton: Graycie Brammer 3-4 2-RBI 2B HR, Khamil Martin 2-2 3-RBI HR, Aubrey Ferguson 2-4 RBI, Layla Townsend 1-1 RBI, Katelyn Moore 3-3 2-RBI HR, Emily Weber 1-4, Katie Williams 1-3.