PORTSMOUTH - It was supposed to be a baseball game. It looked more like a ping pong match.

In a game that saw Ironton come from behind to tie the score or take the lead on five different occasions, the Fighting Tigers finally came away with a 13-8 win over the Portsmouth Trojans in 10 innings Monday.

"It was a good high school game," Ironton coach Mark Lewis said. "The momentum went back and forth. We both made plays, we both had leads and we both lost the lead. We each had our chances, we were just able to take more advantage of our opportunities."

The final opportunity came in the 10th inning when Ironton snapped an 8-8 tie by scoring five times.

Ryan Walker ignited the winning rally as he drilled a single back up the middle to begin the inning.

Chad Miller was hit by a pitch and Greg Linn put down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up a base.

Brian Estep uncorked a wild pitch to score Walker, but on the play Waginger got hung up between first and second bases and on the throw Miller came racing home.

After Waginger stole third base, Chris Rakes then walked and Josh Adkins hit a sacrifice fly. Dennis Gagai singled and stole second to put runners at second and third bases. Dustin Preston was safe on a throwing error as the runners scored.

"We showed some grit. Every time we got down, we didn't drop our heads. We kept battling back. We're starting to show some maturity," Lewis said.

Miller, who came on to pitch in the ninth inning in relief of Adkins, allowed a one-out walk in the bottom of the inning, but got two ground outs to end the game.

Adkins went the first eight innings. He struck out 13, walked five, gave up eight hits and only five of the eight runs allowed were earned. Miller went the final two innings to get the win.

"Adkins pitched a heck of a game. He threw about 150 pitches and that was only his second game," Lewis said. "Chad Miller came in and did a nice job shutting them down. Our pitching was pretty good."

Gagai went 4-for-5 as Ironton collected 12 hits. Preston was 2-6 with three runs batted in, Kouns 2-6 and Walker 2-4.

Portsmouth, 8-7, took a 1-0 lead when Drew Howard homered on the first pitch of the game from Adkins.

Ironton (8-5) got two runs in the third inning to take its first lead.

Walker singled, Miller walked and both moved up on a wild pitch. Greg Linn and Brigham Waginger both grounded out as the runs scored.

Portsmouth went up 4-2 in the bottom of the inning thanks to an error and a two-run single by Randy Phipps.

The Fighting Tigers tied the game in the top of the fourth inning.

Gagai singled, Preston was safe on an error and Kouns had an RBI single. A wild pitch scored the second run.

But the Trojans came right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a two walked and a two-run double by Newman.

However, Ironton tied the game in the fifth inning on walks to Waginger and Gagai and a two-run double by Preston.

In the sixth inning, Portsmouth went up 7-6 on a triple by Brian Estep and a squeeze bunt by Howard.

The Fighting Tigers took an 8-7 lead in the top of the seventh inning.

Waginger singled and went to third base on a wild pitch. Rakes walked and Adkins hit into a force play as Waginger scored.

Pinch-runner J.J. Johnson stole second and went to third on a hit by Gagai but was thrown out at home on a controversial play when the Trojans third baseman collided with Johnson as he rounded third base.

Preston then singled to drive in Gagai and give Ironton the lead.

Newman hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the inning that tied the game and sent the game into extra innings.

Ironton plays at South Point Tuesday and visits Huntington, W.Va., Wednesday.

Ironton0022202005=13123

Portsmouth1032011000=883

Josh Adkins, Chad Miller (9) and Dustin Preston. Derek Wales, Brian Estep (7) and Randy Phipps. W-Miller (2-K, 1-W, 0-H). Adkins 13-K, 5-W, 8-R, 5-ER. L-Estep (6-R, 4-ER, 6-H, 1-K, 3-W). Wales 7-R, 6-ER, 6-H, 5-K, 5-W. WP-Wales 3, Estep. HBP-By Estep (Chad Miller). SB-Ironton: Brigham Waginger 3, Dennis Gagai, J.J. Johnson; Portsmouth: Andrew Newman. Sac-Ironton: Greg Linn, Chris Rakes, Chad Miller; Portsmouth: Drew Howard. SF-Ironton: Josh Adkins. 2B-Ironton: Dustin Preston, Patrick Kouns; Portsmouth: Andrew Newman. 3B-Portsmouth: Brian Estep. HR-Portsmouth: Drew Howard, Andrew Newman. Hitting-Ironton: Brigham Waginger 1-3, Chris Rakes 1-3, Josh Adkins 2 RBI, Dennis Gagai 4-5, Dustin Preston 2-6 (3 RBI), Patrick Kouns 2-6 (RBI), Ryan Walker 2-4, Greg Linn RBI; Portsmouth: Drew Howard 1-2 (2 RBI), Jon Chandler 1-4, Andrew Newman 2-5 (3 RBI), Derek Wales 1-4, Randy Phipps 1-4 (2 RBI), J.R. Glockner 1-4, Brian Estep 1-5. Records: Ironton 8-5, Portsmouth 8-7.