Things were smooth sailing for the Butler BlueSox and Kokomo Jackrabbits through one inning of their Prospect League game Saturday night at Kelly Automotive Park.

However, the waves changed entirely following a hectic four-run second inning for Butler. The frame led to a 5-1 victory for the BlueSox.

An 11-9 loss at West Virginia Sunday left the BlueSox a half-game out of first place in the East Division.

Nick Stotler set the table for all the second inning craziness Saturday with a shot down the left-field line for a double. Later in the inning, Kokomo pitcher Zach Drury rolled what looked like a sure-fire, inning-ending double play ball.

Kokomo’s middle infield combo of Ryan McBroom and Chris Amato had just three errors between them on the year.

After receiving Amato’s throw, McBroom airmailed a throw over first baseman Caleb Stayton’s head, seemingly scoring Stotler from second. Kokomo manager Matt Howard flew out of the third base dugout to argue the call, leaving everyone in attendance, including the BlueSox bench, surprised.

The umpiring crew allotted Howard a long amount of time to plead his case. Nearly 15 minutes later, the umpires sided with Howard, and they gave the call to Kokomo. The conclusion was that the ball that flew past Stayton hit a Butler player who was in play, automatically making the play dead.

It was easy to tell that the BlueSox and manager Jason Radwan were infuriated by the call, and it ignited a flame under them.

It turned out the long argument wouldn’t matter. Drury threw a pitch in the dirt that scooted past the catcher, scoring Stotler.

The BlueSox bats weren’t finished yet. With two runners on and two outs, Jamie Switalski hit a triple, clearing the centerfielder’s head and scoring both runners. Tyler Sullivan followed that up with an RBI single of his own, capping the four-run inning for Butler.

“The atmosphere changed after the delay. I was fired up. (Matt Howard) was fired up,” BlueSox manager Jason Radwan said.

That sentiment seemed to be the consensus throughout the ballclub.

“It fired us up and made us all excited to play,” said Stotler.

Hitting isn’t all that should be praised in this game.

“Things calmed down (after the second inning),” Radwan said.

BlueSox hitters could only muster two hits from the bottom of the fifth to the game’s end. So pitching played a key role for Butler.

Butler starter Pavin Parks did what a good pitcher does when he doesn’t have his best stuff. He found a way to win anyway.

His fastball command was lacking, but his mindset and stuff were good enough to earn a win and tie him with West Virginia’s Jacob Belinda for the league lead with four victories.

Three Butler relievers — Carter Krick, Zach Patterson and Kyle Zurak — pounded the zone and utilized their defense. Together they combined for three innings, zero hits and one walk.

Butler closed the weekend with the wild 11-9 loss at West Virginia on Sunday.

The game ended with a Butler rally falling short. The Sox trailed 11-7 entering the frame but got the best of West Virginia reliever Calvin Coker, who walked a pair and hit a batter before serving up a two-run single to Tyler Sullivan.

Reed Bright then took over on the mound and did not allow another run to earn the save. He got Stotler to ground out with the bases loaded to end the game.

The Sox (12-10) were down 7-1 after five innings, but a 3-run home run by Dalton Hoiles helped fuel a 5-run sixth inning.

But momentum quickly returned to the Miners (12-9), who scored four runs in the bottom of the inning off Butler reliever Kason Kimbrell.

Starting pitcher David LeMasters shouldered the loss after surrendering seven runs on seven hits in five innings.

The Sox visit Chillicothe on Tuesday.