BUTLER TWP — After more than 350 pitches, 97 batters faced, 15 walks, 20 strikeouts, 24 runners left on base, 10 errors, 19 runs, 20 hits, and three hours of gut-wrenching baseball, nothing was decided.

In the glow of fireflies flying around a quickly darkening Highfield Park, Dan Pickard induced a pop-up to end a marathon game for Saxonburg and keep his American Legion team alive — for at least 24 more hours.

The right-hander's 11 strikeout performance in 6Z\c innings of relief lifted Saxonburg to a 10-9 win over winner's bracket champion East Butler in the BCAL tournament final and forced a winner-take-all game today at 5:45 p.m. at Highfield Park.

Getting there was by no means easy for Saxonburg.

It left 16 runners on base. It loaded the bases four straight innings before finally wresting the lead away in the top of the ninth, thanks to two runs on five walks — including two free passes coming with the bases loaded.

"We left too many guys on base," said Saxonburg manager JimBacon. "We took advantage of whatGod gave us, I guess (in the final inning)."

Three East Butler pitchers walked 11 batters and hit two others. It also committed five errors.

But East Butler still clung to a one-run lead for three innings before coughing it up in the ninth.

"They didn't touch the ball (in the ninth)," said East Butler manager Dess Schnur.

All five walks came on 3-2 counts against East Butler's third pitcher of the night, Adam Gregory.

The big right-hander struck out eight, but he also walked eight, scuffling with his control throughout.

"We just couldn't get that final pitch," Schnur said. "He just couldn't get that last strike for one reason or another. That was the difference in the game."

Saxonburg jumped out to a lead with four runs in the top of the second inning. A two-run double by the suddenly hot No. 9 hitter in its order, Justun Thompson, plated two of the runs in the rally.

Josh Uncapher also had a two-run single in the frame.

That kind of production was nice to see, Bacon said. His team had struggled with the bats until the tournament.

Now, his team is putting as many crooked numbers on the scoreboard as it has all season.

"We have not been swinging the bat well at all this season," Bacon said. "And that gets into the kids' heads. They start pressing. But a couple of days ago, we broke out of that."

It's perfect timing, too.

Saxonburg, last year's tournament winner, had to battle back through the loser's bracket. It did so by putting up 10 runs against Butler Township, 13 against Butler City and 10 more against East Butler Monday.

That doesn't bode well for East Butler today. It's pitching is as thin as all the new cell phones on the market.

"We used everyone we had," Schnur said. "We played to win the game."

Now, it must ante up and win another.

"We had the opportunity, but made some basic mistakes pitching, I guess," Schnur said. "We're going to have to draw back and see what we have."

The winner will joinMars, the regular-season champion, in the Region 7 Tournament in Indiana, Pa.

Saxonburg 040 022 002—10 9 5East Butler 007 020 000—9 11 5WP: Dan Pickard (6Z\c IP) 11 strikeouts, 2 walks.

LP: Adam Gregory (4 IP) 8 strikeouts, 8 walks

Saxonburg: Josh Uncapher 2-1B; AustinLeffler 1B; Justin Demek 2-2B, 2-RBI; ZachMayes RBI; Justin McGowan 2-1B, 2-RBI; BrandonWissinger 1B,RBI; Justun Thompson 2B, 2-RBI

East Butler: Chad Neff 2-1B,RBI; John Marra 1B,RBI; John Marra 1B,RBI; Brad Cottage 2-1B; Dallas O'Donnell RBI; RyanGeibel 1B, RBI; Justin Heller 1B,RBI; Jamie Mascarelli 3-1B, 2-RBI; RyanArmahizer 1B

Today: Saxonburg vs.East Butler at Highfield Park, 5:45 p.m.