When the Ironton Senior League All-Stars all came back, they made it back-to-back.

With virtually the same group of players from the previous season, the Ironton stars won their second straight District 11 championship and earned a trip back to the state tournament.

“This is a good group. They’ve stayed together for two years and they work well together,” said Ironton manager Chuck Price.

Ironton beat Rock Hill 5-2 to claim the winner’s bracket title. Rock Hill beat Green in the loser bracket championship and face Ironton again in the showdown to earn the district title and state berth.

Ironton used a big seventh inning to break open the game and won 9-0 and advance to the state tournament that begins Saturday, July 25, in Painesville.

In the winner’s bracket title game, Ironton won 5-2 as Wayne Sparks got the win and Tanner Riley supplied the key hit.

Sparks went six innings for the win as he allowed just two hits, two earned runs, struck out 12 and walked only one.

Riley, who also got the save, had a two-out, two-run bases loaded single in the top of the seventh inning that snapped a 2-2 tie.

In the district championship game, Kyle Dickess tossed a three-hitter over six innings with Riley working the final inning again. Dickess struck out nine and walked two in getting the win.

Ironton led 3-0 heading into the top of the seventh inning when Howie Lucas and Riley each slammed three-run homers.

The Ironton All-Stars are asking for donations to help defray the cost of the trip to Painesville, a suburb of Cleveland. Anyone interested in making a donation should contact Price at (740) 464-3152 or league president Jimmy Mahlmeister at (740) 646-4436.