Photo: Legion

STEVEN DIETZ/SPECIAL TO THE EAGLE

Butler Township's Brian Bell throws a pitch Wednesday in his team's 6-4 win over East Butler in Game 2 of their best-of-three American Legion playoff series.

Eagle Staff Writer

Butler Township manager Gene Zawrotuk told his players they might want to bring a change of clothes to Wednesday's game against East Butler.

Since East Butler won Game 1 of the Butler County American Legion Baseball League's best-of-3 championship series, another loss would end Butler Township's season.

"I thought I could collect the uniforms," said Zawrotuk. "A lot of the kids said they weren't bringing clothes."

As it turned out, they'll need their uniforms for a third contest.

Butler Township jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings and held on for a 6-4 triumph to force a Game 3, which will be played at 6 p.m. today at Pullman Park.

If the expected rain makes the field unplayable, the game might be switched to East Butler Field.

The winner will represent the BCAL in the Region 7 playoffs, which begin Tuesday in Ebensburg.

"Our guys aren't ready to quit and neither is (East Butler)," said Zawrotuk. "I'm sure their kids are dejected. We played that way Tuesday. We got behind too."

East Butler was able to knot the game at 3 before Butler Township came right back with a run in the fifth inning and two insurance runs in the sixth.

"The middle of our lineup was in good position two different times," said East Butler manager Dess Schnur. "We were in position for a clutch hit and got nothing."

East Butler's No. 4 though 7 hitters went hitless and only a sacrifice fly RBI by Steve Scott contributed at the plate.

The top three hitters in the lineup accounted for four of the team's five hits.

Butler Township scored when Andy Onufrak, who singled to open the bottom of the first inning, came around to score with one out on an error by center fielder Chad Neff.

In the second, Butler Township loaded the bases with no outs without the benefit of a hit.

One out later, Onufrak hit a sacrifice fly to drive home Rob Cochran, but a missed throw to the cutoff man allowed another run to score.

"We made a couple of fundamental errors and that opened the door for them," said Schnur. "It just seemed that way from the get-go. We weren't focused to make the important plays."

Meanwhile, Brian Bell allowed no hits through the first three innings, until, with one out in the fourth, East Butler's Kolby Gregory lined a single.

After Bell hit Steve Scott with a pitch to put runners at first and second, Todd Walker hit a flare that caused second batsman Travis Shingleton and shortstop Joe Rekich to collide while trying to make the catch.

Butler Township was able to get the fielder's choice at third because the runners had to see if the ball would be caught.

An error on a grounder by Pat Hohn drove in East Butler's first run with the runners moving to second and third.

Bell intentionally walked Mike Dorondo before Neff popped out to end the threat.

East Butler tied the game in the top of the fifth when Matt Schnur scored on a one-out double by Jake Slater.

Slater advanced to third on the relay throw and scored on a wild pitch.

Butler Township, however, retook the lead in the home half of the fifth when Rekich walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a sacrifice fly and scored on a suicide squeeze by cleanup hitter Matt McCune.

"We had to that that," said Zawrotuk. "They probably figured we wouldn't squeeze with our No. 4 hitter."

Zawrotuk saw the same play in a tournament in Tennessee years ago and filed it away for future use.

In the sixth, an RBI double by Travis Shingleton and an run-scoring single by Bell expanded the lead to 6-3.

"We could have overcome our mistakes with a hit and we didn't," said Schnur. "You have to give credit to the opposition. They held us at bay when it was important."

East Butler did rally in the seventh when Matt Schnur led off with a walk and, after going 2-0 in the count to Slater, Zawrotuk pulled Bell and inserted Josh Marchinoski.

Slater walked and Gregory followed with a hard single to load the bases. Scott hit a sacrifice fly to make it a two-run game.

After Walker popped out, Hohn was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Dorondo hit a line shot down to third baseman Onufrak, who stepped on third to end the game.

"It's strange, one night to the next, to be a different team," said Schnur. "It's a matter of inches like the ball Dorondo hit. It could have been tied."

East Butler 000 120 1 - 4 5 2

Butler Twp. 120 012 x - 6 5 3

WP:

Brian Bell (6+ IP) 2 strikeouts, 4 walks.

LP:

Shane Seybert (5

IP) 3 strikeouts, 3 walks

East Butler (16-8-1):

Matt Schnur 1B; Jake Slater 2B, RBI; Kolby Gregory 2-1B; Steve Scott RBI; Chad Neff 1B

Butler Township (16-8-1):

Andy Onufrak 1B, RBI; Josh Edwards 1B; Matt McCune RBI; Gary Gombos 1B; Travis Shingleton 2B, RBI; Brian bell 1B, RBI

Today:

Championship final (Game 3), at Pullman Park, 6 p.m. (backup site, East Butler)