LANCASTER — Wade Pauley hit a pair of home runs to help keep Beverly/Lowell Post 389/750’s state championship hopes alive Tuesday at Beavers Field.

Pauley hit a two-run shot in the first game of the day, a 6-0 win over Pickerington Post 283, and later blasted a three-run homer in Beverly/Lowell’s 11-5 win over New Philadlephia Post 139.

Today, Post 389/750 will play one game at noon. A win will advance them to the championship Thursday. They’ll play the loser of Sidney Post 217 and Harrison Post 199 in an elimination game.

Noah West pitched 6 1-3 shutout innings in the win over Pickerington. He struck out two and did not walk a batter. Shawn Miller recorded the final two outs on a pair of Ks.

Beverly/Lowell scored twice in the top of the fifth to break a scoreless tie and added four more in the seventh to put it out of reach.

Lucas Cox and Ian Ellis had two hits apiece while Jacob Huffman and JR Curry both singled. Curry scored a game-high two runs.

Andrew Keener, Cayden Carroll, Wyatt West and Hayden Wells all singled for Post 283.

Beverly/Lowell found itself in an early 2-0 hole in the nightcap after New Philadlephia plated a pair of runs in the top of the first. Beverly/Lowell rallied to take the lead with a four-run third, three of those runs coming on Pauley’s second bomb of the day.

It was 5-2 going to the sixth when Post 139 plated three runs to knot the score up at 5-all, but Beverly/Lowell responded in a big way, tallying six runs in the sixth to pull way out in front.

Ellis started and pitched an inning for Post 389/750, walking one and fanning two. Curry went the rest of the way, walking three and striking out four in six innings.

Mason Wagner took the loss for New Philadelphia, lasting 5 2-3 with three walks and two Ks. Cam Guspyt got the final out of the sixth after allowing a pair of earned runs.

Beverly/Lowell collected 12 hits, with three coming from Easton Eibel. Pauley and Huffman added two hits apiece, while Pauley and Eibel both drove in four runs.

Cox scored a game-high three runs and has a single, while Brown, Ellis and Curry all singled as well. Nate Silvus doubled and drove in a run for Post 389/750.

Kayden Crosier led New Philadelphia with three hits and three runs-batted-in. Brandt Wells was 2 for 4 with an RBI while Brooks Bower added a pair of hits out of the nine hole.

Beverly/Lowell did not commit an error in either game.

Berkeley County 3, Parkersburg 2

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Caleb Fletcher recorded the final out to earn the save here Tuesday for Berkeley County Post 14 as the Hornets nipped Parkersburg Post 15, 3-2, in the opening game of the West Virginia American Legion state baseball tournament held at the University of Charleston’s Welch Athletic Complex.

Jason Myers walked five but didn’t allow a hit in throwing the initial 3 2-3 innings. Winning pitcher Chase Herndon followed with three innings of one-hit ball. The only hit for Post 15 came via a Brady Swain single. He scored to make it a 2-1 game in the bottom of the fourth, but Post 14 made it 3-1 after scoring a run in the sixth before allowing a run in the seventh.

Manager Mike Goodwin’s club, which dropped to 20-12-1, returns to action in a must-win scenario at 11 a.m. today against Bridgeport Post 68 (28-7), which suffered a 6-1 setback to South Charleston Post 94 (20-3-1).

Ethan Marshall was the hard-luck loser. He scattered seven hits in 6 1-3 innings of work for Post 15. He allowed three runs, two earned. He walked one and recorded one punchout.

Colin McCarter scored the other run for Parkersburg, which received its lone run-batted-in from Josiah DeMoss.

Post 15 worked seven free passes, including two each by Evan Swain and Luke Ankrom, but couldn’t push them across.

Collin Reed provided the offense for Berkeley County. He finished 2 for 3 with a double and two runs-batted-in.

Jaxson Ruest also went 2 for 3 for the victors. Bayden Hartman doubled, stole a base and scored a run, while leadoff hitter Conner Bailey was 1 for 4 with two stolen bases and a run scored.