BUTLER TWP — It was the last time Donovan Thompson got to put on a Butler baseball uniform and the senior pitcher made the most of it.

Thompson allowed just three hits in six scoreless innings in the Golden Tornado’s 6-2, season-ending win over Vincentian Academy at Butler’s high school field Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s a nice way to end my high school career,” said Thompson, who struck out five, walked none and hit a batter. “It gives me something to remember.”

Thompson escaped a jam in the first inning when he allowed consecutive singles to Kyler Fedko and Garret Barto with two outs before striking out Nick Kempa. Thompson would not allow another hit until Fedko’s infield single in the top of the sixth inning.

“We were disappointed with our players’ approach at the plate,” said Vincentian coach Paul Quarantillo, “but take nothing away from him (Thompson). He did a good job of mixing his fastball and curveball.”

“He worked ahead in the count and kept their hitters off-balance,” said Butler coach Todd Erdos. “Donovan has a deceptive, across-his-body motion and that makes it hard on right-handed hitters.”

A pitcher sometimes begins to struggle the second time through the opposing batting order, but Thompson had no such trouble. He set the Royals down in order in the second, third and fifth innings and finished the season with a 3-0 record.

“I just tried to keep them on their toes,” he said. “I tried not to throw the same thing twice to the same batter in the same situation.”

Butler’s offense gave Thompson a huge show of support in the third inning, plating five runs on five hits against Royals’ starter Mark Cyterski. Dallas Hays doubled home Justin Stewart and Alec Bayer to break the ice.

Hays scored on Cade Negley’s base hit. Connor Ollio and Brandon Hildebrand both had RBI-singles to cap the scoring in the inning.

“It was nice to put that rally together there,” said Erdos. “We got RBIs when we had the opportunity.”

Butler added a run in the fourth as Hays picked up his third run batted in when he doubled home Bayer.

The Royals (14-6) finally broke through offensively in the seventh. Hays came in to close the game for Butler, but was greeted by three straight batters reaching base. Kempa walked and Nate Christian and Anthony Milicia followed with singles, the second one driving in courtesy runner Mark Aukerman for Vincentian’s first run.

Hays managed back-to-back strikeouts before walking Christian Fedko to load the bases. Cyterski singled home another run, but Kyler Fedko then grounded out to end the game.

It was a bitter-sweet end of the season for Erdos, who watched his team finish the campaign with a solid overall record of 13-6. However, a 5-5 record in Section 1-AAAA was not good enough to make the WPIAL playoffs.

“We had four games after our last section game and played some really good baseball,” said Erdos of a stretch in which his team went 3-1. “We didn’t end up where we wanted to be, but the guys worked hard and got the chance to enjoy winning baseball.”

Vincentian Acad. 000 000 2 — 2 6 1

Butler 005 100 x — 6 9 0

W: Donovan Thompson 6 IP (5K, 0BB). L: Mark Cyterski 3 IP (3K, 1BB).

Vincentian Academy (14-6): Mark Cyterski 1B RBI, Kyler Fedko 2-1B, Garret Barto 1B, Anthony Milicia 1B RBI, Nate Christian 1B, Mark Aukerman R, James Lutz R

Butler (13-6): Dallas Hays 2-2B R 3RBI, Cade Negley 1B R RBI, Connor Ollio 1B R RBI, Brandon Hildebrand 2-1B RBI, Sam Gross 1B, Justin Stewart R, Alec Bayer 2-1B 2R