EAST BUTLER — Ian Steighner paused, almost in disbelief.

Then the East Butler second baseman's arms shot up in the air to celebrate.

Steighner was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning to give East Butler its 12th Butler County American Legion title Thursday night at Speed-O Field.

East Butler edged Meridian 5-4 and celebrated behind home plate after Dustin Kepple scored the winning run.

Pitcher Alex Seybert couldn't have pictured a better scenario. East Butler (22-2) last won the title in 2012.

“The kids I played with in 2012 I played with here and it's their last year ever playing baseball,” Seybert said. “It made it a sweet ending to the story the whole way up through.”

How the seventh inning played out is a point of contention. Kepple was originally thrown out at the plate.

Jake Stoner doubled down the right-field line off relief pitcher Adam Schaffner. Meridian right fielder Nick Malis relayed the ball to Brandon Spinneweber, who threw out Kepple.

East Butler manager Steve Armahizer felt the ball went out of play and appealed.

The umpires agreed and ruled it a ground-rule double, sending Kepple back to third.

“It's one of those things where the ball went out of play and the umpires didn't call it,” Armahizer said. “We had talked about it at the beginning of the game and I saw it. If it's one of our (ground) rules, they have to call it.”

Meridian (16-10) intentionally walked Tanner Gilliland before Schaffner hit Steighner on the wrist.

Meridian manager Butch Master wasn't pleased.

“The outfield umpire said he didn't see it go in the out of bounds area. The home-plate umpire said he thought it might have,” Master said. “I asked him why he didn't call it. He said I should've.”

Ryan Denny, who went 2 for 3, put Meridian ahead 1-0 in the third. He led off with a double and moved to third on a single by Malis.

Denny scored on an errant throw and moved Malis to third.

Heading home after a wild pitch, Malis was tagged out by Seybert after getting the ball from catcher Tyler Brown.

Malis made a diving attempt at the plate, but the umpire ruled he didn't touch home.

“Anytime you can get someone out at the plate it's a huge momentum swing,” Armahizer said. “It was a good tag by Seybert and a good throw from Brown to be quick with it.”

Seybert threw a strong game, limiting Meridian to five hits in seven innings of work. He also struck out seven batters.

“I kept mixing up the pitches and kept trying to throw my game,” Seybert said. “I just kept trying to win innings one after another.”

East Butler tied the game in the fourth on a double by Gilliland.

Meridian added another run on a single by Schaffner and took a 2-1 lead into the sixth.

Steighner reached on an error with one out and scored on a double by Brown. After Brandon Hildebrand drew a walk, pinch-hitter Dallas Hays put East Butler ahead 4-2 with a two-run single to center field.

“A big meatball,” Hays said of the pitch. “I just wanted to get the ball in play.”

Malis hit into a fielder's choice for Meridian to cut the lead to 4-3 in the seventh. Down to their last out, Tony Cillo singled to score Jake Campbell and tie the game.

Meridian 001 010 2 — 4 6 1

East Butler 000 103 1 — 5 9 3

W: Alex Seybert 7IP (6K, 1BB). L: Nick Robinson 6 1/3IP (5K, 1BB).

Meridian (16-10): Adam Schaffner 2-1B, Ryan Denny 1B 2B, Nick Malis 1B, Tony Cillo 1B

East Butler (22-2): DJ Osche 1B, Jake Stoner 1B-2B, Tanner Gilliland 2B, Dustin Kepple 2-1B, Tyler Brown 1B 2B, Dallas Hays 1B