BUTLER TWP— As ugly as it was, it made history.

The two teams combined for 15 errors Wednesday night at Highfield Park, but Butler City held on for an 11-8 Butler County American Legion Baseball League Tournament victory over Mars.

The win moved Butler City (12-8) into the tournament finals against top-seeded East Butler (16-2) at 6 p.m. today at Speed-O Field. AButler City win would force a deciding game Friday in the double-elimination tourney.

"We advanced. That's the bottom line,"Butler City manager Jerry Piroch said.

This is the first time Butler City's Legion baseball program has reached the county finals. Piroch is in his fourth season as manager, making him the longest tenured skipper in the team's history.

Mars committed nine errors — including six in a nightmarish first inning — as Butler City jumped out to a 5-1 lead. Mars had four throwing errors and dropped two fly balls during the opening frame.

Three Butler City errors helped Mars score four times in the second inning to tie the game.

"The way things started for us, we could have easily folded completely,"Mars coach Rick Ganter said. "I'm proud of these kids, the way they fought back.

"We were out of pitching and we were a little tired, but still had a chance to win. But you can't make nine errors and expect to win a baseball game."

Mars was playing its fourth game in as many nights, having already staved off elimination with victories over Meridian, Zelienople and Center Township.

Despite its pitching and fielding woes, Mars trailed only 8-6 entering the bottom of the sixth inning.

Butler City scored three times in that frame, getting back-to-back triples from Brian Anthony and Chris Codispot, a run-scoring single from Jeff Slater and a sacrifice fly from Jimmy McKissick.

"Those were the first legitimate runs we scored the whole game,"Piroch said.

Taking an 11-6 lead into the seventh, Butler City withstood a Mars rally to win the contest. With one out, Ryan Ganter singled, stole second and scored on Ryan Schroth's single to center. Zach Bear reached on an infield error and Josh Bender drilled a run-scoring single to right.

With the tying run coming to the plate, Piroch removed starting pitcher Jose Cumba from the mound. Cumba threw 122 pitches on a humid evening.

"Jose is very durable,"Piroch said. "He never got down when we made the errors behind him, either."

McKissick took over pitching duties and promptly walked Corey Slater, loading the bases. Dan Brent grounded sharply to second, enabling second baseman Jeff Slater to begin a game-ending double play.

"I told Jimmy not to give the first guy he faced anything to hit because a walk would set up the double play. Fortunately, it worked out for us,"Piroch said.

"I told him (Brent) to take a strike and he never did,"Ganter said. "But kids get anxious at the plate. They want to hit the ball and it's hard to fault anybody for that."

Mars stole 12 bases, but right fielder McKissick threw out Chris Herold at the plate with no outs in the fifth. Herold was trying to score from second on a single.

"Those kids left everything on the field,"Piroch said of Mars. "They laid it on the line. You do what you can to stay alive in this thing.

"Jose Cumba is our usual first baseman, so we needed Jeremy Rivera to come off the bench to play first tonight. He played flawlessly at first and had a couple of hits. He was a big reason why we won this game."

Piroch said McKissick — his ace pitcher — will start against East Butler tonight.

Mars 140 010 2— 8 9 9Butler City 520 013 x—11 12 6W: Jose Cumba 6Z\c IP (5 K, 2 BB).

L: Dan Brent 6 IP (3 K, 1 BB).

Mars (9-7-1): Chris Herold 1B 2-RBI 2-R, Lee Lawver 2-1BRBI, Ryan Ganter 1BRBI, Ryan Schroth 2-1B 2-RBI, Zach Bear 1B, Josh Bender 1BRBI, Corey Slater 1B, Dan Brent RBI

Butler City (12-8): Ken Rosenbauer 1B 2-R, Jamie Masciarelli 1B, Brian Anthony 3B 2B 1B 2-RBI 3-R, Chris Codispot 3BRBI, Jeff Slater 2B 1B 2-RBI2-R, Jimmy McKissick 1B2-RBI, Josh McBride 2B, Jeremy Rivera 2-1B

Today: Butler City at East Butler, 6 p.m.