SAEGERTOWN — Keep it positive. Keep it going.

That seems to be the rallying cry of the Butler Township 11- and 12-year-old All-Star team, and it appears to be working.

Dalton Koebler had two home runs, a single and four RBI to help Butler Township defeat Grove City 7-5 in the Pennsylvania Section 2 Little League championship game at the Saegertown Athletic Complex's Erie Street Field Monday.

With the win, Butler Township advances to the state tournament, which will begin Thursday at East Plymouth Valley Park, 800 Germantown Pike, in Plymouth Meeting.

Butler Township had to win three consecutive games after a 13-9 loss to Grove City last week to avoid being eliminated from the tournament.

"I made sure after that (Grove City loss) that the kids stayed positive," said Butler Township coach John Baranchak. "We came back and won the next game (5-4 over Warren National) and then won Sunday (10-0 over Grove City).

After Koebler and David Tompkins led off the bottom of the fifth inning with consecutive home runs, Butler Township enjoyed a 7-3 lead.

The squad would need to stay positive again in the top of the sixth inning, when Grove City mounted a serious rally that eventually put the tying run at second and the go-ahead run at the plate.

With one out, Dom Chutz and Tyler Devine smacked consecutive home runs to make it 7-5.

Jon Anderson and Brian Murone then followed with back-to-back singles before Butler Township pitcher Matthew Baranchak made a diving stop on a grounder by Jordon Orlowski and got the force at first base, which advanced both runners.

Baranchak struck out Chauncy Miller to end the game and to give Butler Township its first trip to the state tournament for an age 11- 12-year-old team.

"That was a great Little League game," said Grove City coach Pat Devine. "The good part is no one loses. People will say Grove City lost, but I don't think so."

Coach Baranchak had considered taking his son out of the game, but decided against it.

"The boys believe in him," said the elder Baranchak. "I think it's negative if I made the move."

Devine had Baranchak's pitch count number 157 in six innings, but he was impressed with his staying power.

"There are no easy innings with our guys,"said Devine, who team left 11 on base in six innings, including seven in the first three.

"You've got to cash them in, but credit their pitcher. A lot of times people think it's the hitters who (fail), but credit (Baranchak)."

In the first inning, Baranchak walked four batters and allowed a single to Devine, but Grove City plated just two runs on RBI walks by Murone and Erik Record.

Butler Township needed only three batters to erase the deficit, however. Spencer Murray and Alex Ziegler opened with singles before Koebler hit a home run over the center field fence for a 3-2 lead.

"If there had been an MVP of the section tournament, Dalton would have been the unanimous choice," said Baranchak. "He came up big in every game."

Grove City had a pair of runners on with two outs in both the second and third innings but couldn't score.

Butler Township opened a 5-2 lead in the fourth when Michael Connelly had a two-run double. Grove City answered with a solo home run by Murone in the top of the fifth to make it 5-3.

Again, Grove City had two on with two outs but couldn't add an extra run.

Looking ahead to the state tournament, Baranchak knows his team is riding a great wave and knows what can keep it going.

"It's a confidence thing. It's within, and we have to keep reinforcing it. We definitely have some momentum," he said.

Notes: Baranchak struck out eight and walked eight in the complete-game win. ... Grove City's Tyler Devine pitched 4X\c innings in relief of Jon Anderson, who allowed four hits to the first five batters before giving way. ... Chris Cotton had two hits for Butler Township while Devine led Grove City with two singles along with the home run and Murone had a home run, single and two RBI. ... Grove City had defeated MYAA American (Millcreek) 9-2, Warren National 4-3 in eight innings and Butler Township before its consecutive losses to Butler Township.