O'HARA TWP — North Allegheny had already defeated Butler twice this baseball season.

But the Tigers had never faced this Butler.

“It's hard enough trying to beat a team three times in a season,” North Allegheny coach Andy Heck said. “But we did not face Colby Anderson in either of those firast two games.

“They're a different team with him on the mound ... a much better team.”

North Allegheny (16-5) cruised to 9-3 and 12-0 regular season wins over the Golden Tornado. The Tigers had to scrap their way to a 4-2 win over Butler in the WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinals Tuesday at Fox Chapel.

The victory was the Tigers' ninth in a row.

The score was tied at one before North Allegheny broke through for three runs in the bottom of the fifth against Anderson.

“It is so hard, pitching a playoff game last week, then coming back to pitch our next one,” Butler coach Cody Herald said. “We asked Colby all week how he felt, how his arm was.

“He wasn't going to tell us even if he was hurt. He wanted the ball today and we were gonna give it to him.”

Anderson's mound opponent was senior right-hander Anthony Hattrup, who entered the game with a 1.25 earned run average. Hattrup will pitch for the University of Dayton next season.

When Butler (7-14) tied the game in the second inning, the Golden Tornado snapped a string of 26 consecutive scoreless innings put up by Tiger pitchers. Zach Slomers doubled to left with two outs, stole third and scored on Cooper Baxter's infield single.

“I knew this would be a tight game,” Heck said. “We drew a bye in the tournament and hadn't played in a while (12 days), but I told our guys we better not just show up and expect to win.

“Butler is a well-coached team. They put the bat on the ball and they worked our pitcher.”

Hattrup threw 45 pitches in the first two innings. He settled down and retired 12 consecutive Butler hitters into the seventh.

“He found his off-speed stuff and that made the difference,” Heck said. In 6A baseball, you can't just throw fastballs and get hitters out.”

“He (Hattrup) was outstanding,” Herald said. “He shut us down for a while.”

With one out in the NA fifth, Logan Andreyko singled to right for the Tigers' first hit. Jared Orwell doubled deep to left, plating Andreyko and snapping the tie. Cole Young was hit by a pitch.

Both runners moved up on a balk, then scored on Ryan Dougherty's single to left.

Anderson allowed only three hits in 4.1 innings pitched, but walked three and hit four batters.

“Colby gave us everything he had today,” Herald said.

Butler did not go away quietly.

With one out in the seventh, Mattix Clement beat out a ground ball to second for a single. Slomers grounded sharply up the middle, shortstop Young making a diving stop behind second base. Young flipped the ball to second baseman Orwell for a force-out of Clement.

Baxter walked and Kyle Weitzel singled to center, playing Slomers and putting the tying run on base. Anderson ground out to second to end the game.

The seventh inning started with pinch-hitter Bryan Presco being robbed of a hit by third baseman Shane Murphy. The latter made a lunging stop of Presco's sharply-hit ground ball.

“Huge plays, both of them,” Heck said. “I give credit to both of those kids. If we don't come up with those outs ... I don't know.”

Herald said his team “went down fighting and that's all you can ask.

“Nobody but our coaches expected our team to make the playoffs, then win in the first round,” he added. “Maybe this team wasn't as talented as last year's, but they worked hard and wanted it.

“They showed that in these playoffs.”

Butler 010 000 1 — 2 4 1

N.Allegheny 100 030 x — 4 5 0

W: Anthony Hattrup 7IP (7K, 3BB). L: Colby Anderson 4.1IP (5K, 3BB).

Butler (7-14): Kyle Weitzel 1B RBI, Mattix Clement 1B, Zach Slomers 2B 2-R, Cooper Baxter 1B RBI

North Allegheny (16-5): Joe Manesiotis 1B, Logan Andreyko 1B 2-R, Jared Orwell 2B RBI, Ryan Dougherty 1B 2-RBI, Anthony Hattrup 1B