ELYRIA -- The Ironton Senior League All-Stars didn't go down without a fight.

In a see-saw battle, New Philadelphia outlasted Ironton 11-8 Saturday in the championship round of the state Senior League tournament.

"It was a heck of a game. We got the lead, but we just couldn't hold it. New Philadelphia really hit the ball well," Ironton coach Mike "Red" Burcham said.

After Ironton took a 3-0 lead in the first inning, Dustin Preston belted a two-run homer in the second inning and it was 5-0.

But New Philadelphia came back to score four runs in the bottom of the second and it was 5-4.

Brigham Waginger smacked a two-run home run in the fourth as Ironton went up 7-4. New Philadelphia answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning.

An error and a pair of two-run homers enabled New Philadelphia to erase the 7-6 deficit and take an 11-7 lead that it never relinquished.

Ironton pitchers Dennis Gagai and Josh Adkins each struck out four and walked one.

New Philadelphia pitchers combined to strike out 11 and walked six.

Jeff Waginger went 3-for-4 to lead Ironton's nine-hit attack. Brigham Waginger was 2-3.

Ironton advanced to the championship round by finishing as one of the top two teams in their pool. The Ironton All-Stars beat Elyria East 12-4, Athens 10-0, and Geneva 13-3.

They lost 13-3 Friday to Dayton Hardscrabble in a game that had no bearing on qualifying for the championship round.

Ironton3202001--892

New Philladelphia040250x--11103

Josh Adkins (4-K, 1-W), Dennis Gagai (2), Josh Adkins (5) and Dustin Preston. M. Sexton, A. Meiser (5) and J. Reese. W-Meiser. L-Gagai (4-K, 1-W). 2B-Ironton: Jeff Waginger, Brigham Waginger; New Philly: Gardner. HR-Ironton: Brigham Waginger, Dustin Preston; New Philly: J. Laner 2, J. Reese. Hitting-Ironton: Jeff Waginger 3-4, Brigham Waginger 2-3, Dustin Preston 1-3 (HR), Dennis Gagai 1-5, Josh Adkins 1-4; New Philadelphia: J. Laner 2-2 (5 RBI), J. Reese 2-3, A. Meiser 2-4, Valentine 2-4, Gardner 1-2.