The Ironton Junior League All-Stars had all the answers.

Each time Portsmouth scored, Ironton answered with its own rally and more in a 9-8 win Saturday in the District 11 tournament.

Portsmouth took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning with the aid of an error, but Ironton came right back with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Ryan O'Leary and Keith Wetzel singled to put runners on the corners. Wetzel stole second base and Caleb Blackburn singled home O'Leary. Pinch-runner Jon Monnig stole second base, Howie Lucas singled in a run and Ethan Preston was safe on a fielder's choice as a run scored.

Ironton got a run in the second inning when Tommy Waginger reached on an error, Josh Pancake sacrificed him to second base, Wetzel singled him to third base and Blackburn doubled.

The lead went to 7-2 in the third inning.

With two outs, Ryan Sias and Monnig each reached on an error. The runners moved up on a wild pitch and Pancake's fly ball was dropped allowing both runners to score.

O'Leary walked and Wetzel had an RBI single.

Portsmouth scored three runs in the fourth inning to get within 7-5, but Ironton added a run in the fifth inning to lead 8-5, when Preston singled and Sias and Monnig each reached on an error.

Ironton added a run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a home run by Brian Warner.

Portsmouth mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh inning with three runs thanks to two Ironton errors before the rally died.

Ironton had 11 hits with Wetzel going 3-for-4. Warner was 2-3 with Blackburn and Lucas 2-4. O'Leary was 1-2 and Preston 1-4.

Pancake got the win as he went the distance allowing eight hits with three strikeouts, three walks and three hit batsmen.

Ironton returns to tournament play at 6 p.m. today against Symmes Valley in the finals of the loser's bracket at the Ironton Senior League field.

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Ironton313101x=9115

Griffith and Arrowwood. Josh Pancake and Ethan Preston. W-Pancake (3-K, 3-BB, 3-HBP). L-Griffith (4-K, 1-BB). 2B-Ironton: Caleb Blackburn. HR-Ironton: Brian Warner. Hitting-Portsmouth: Arrowwood 2-3, Griffith 3-5, Stanford 1-3, Stevens 1-4, Haney 1-4; Ironton: Keith Wetzel 3-4, Caleb Blackburn 2-4, Howie Lucas 2-4, Brian Warner 2-3, Ryan O'Leary 1-2, Ethan Preston 1-4.