IRONTON Ƶ Ironton High School baseball opponents are victims of Ginger snaps.
Not the cookies. Ian GingerƵs curveball and slider. The Fighting TigersƵ senior right-hander has helped Ironton to a 7-1 record, including a 6-0 mark in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Ginger features a four-pitch mix, adding a fastball and change-up. He sits 86 to 82 mph with his heater and has touched 92.
That repertoire and ability to control and command it caught the attention of college coaches.
Ginger, who is 6-foot, 180 pounds, chose Lake Erie College, an NCAA Division II program in Painesville, Ohio.
He plans to major in sports medicine or a similar field.
Ginger figures to pitch and play the outfield for the Storm, which was nicknamed the Unicorns before 1988.
ƵI kind of knew,Ƶ Ginger said of how he chose Lake Erie.
ƵWhen you know, you know. ItƵs a good coaching staff, good players. When I took a visit up there, I thought it was great.Ƶ
Ironton coach John Hunt said Ginger is a key part of the OVC-leading Fighting Tigers.
ƵHeƵs a good, hard thrower,Ƶ Hunt said of Ginger. ƵHeƵs been consistent and has been throwing strikes. HeƵs one of our best guys and I trust him when he goes out there.Ƶ
Ginger said he knows he needs to add muscle, which he said a college weight program and training table will help him do.
Ginger works at DickƵs Sporting Goods in Ƶhland. His life, though, doesnƵt revolve around sports. The cross necklace he wears is more than adornment.
ƵItƵs No. 1,Ƶ Ginger said of his Christian faith. ƵItƵs how I do everything I do, with Christ.Ƶ
Last season, the Tigers finished third behind OVC champion Portsmouth and runner-up Fairland. The Dragons won the league title the previous two seasons.
ƵItƵs a tough league,Ƶ Ginger said. ƵEverybody will give you a shot, a run for your money.Ƶ
Ginger would like to graduate with one conference championship.
ƵWe overcame a lot of adversity last year and worked hard in the offseason,Ƶ Ginger said. ƵWe canƵt do that (finish third) again. We have to be better than that. We have a chance to do something special this year, so everybody had to up their game. WeƵre rolling.Ƶ
How special?
ƵI think we can win a state title and bring it back to Ironton,Ƶ Ginger said. ƵThis teamƵs different from past years. The team bonding Ƶ this team comes together in ways I canƵt explain. ItƵs brotherhood. Ƶ
The TigersƵ only loss was 5-2 to Dayton Julienne-Chaminade, a program three divisions larger than Ironton.
Hunt said heƵs optimistic the Tigers can make a deep playoff run.
ƵIƵm hoping we can keep on going a day at a time and get a little better each day,Ƶ Hunt said. ƵWe want to get as far as we can go. We have a lot of talent. ThereƵs a lot of athletes on this field. Ƶ long as they keep the right mental approach, we can go a pretty good way.Ƶ
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