After a tough start in the game against East Butler Thursday, Butler City pitcher Jim McKissick settled down to record a 142-pitch, complete-game effort to help his team to a 23-8 victory in the American Legion tournament finals. The teams play today to decide the winner of the event.

EAST BUTLER — Just when East Butler's bats got the team back into the game, it was Butler City's turn to pick up the sticks.

East Butler tallied five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut Butler City's lead to 12-8.

But the latter answered with six runs in the next half inning before finishing off the top seed 23-8 in a Butler County American Legion Baseball Tournament finals matchup at Speed-O Field Thursday.

An East Butler win would have closed the tournament and sent the team to the Region 8 playoffs.

Both teams now have one loss in the double-elimination event and will decide matters at 6 p.m. today at Pullman Park.

It was as if Butler City was hitting off a tee Thursday, tallying 25 hits, including three home runs among its nine extra-base hits.

<table width="300" height="275" border="0" align="right" valign="top" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><embed src="/assets/mov/BE50774718.MOV " width="320" height="250" autostart="true" loop="false" ></embed></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="http://www.apple.com/quicktime/" target="_blank"><span class="style11">Requires Quicktime Media Player </a><br><font size="1" face="Tahoma, Times New Roman">Video by Brandon Gerthoffer</font></span><td></tr></table>The barrage chased East Butler starter Greg Hays from the game after two-plus innings, along with relievers Nick Rossmiller and Dallas O'Donnell."At the beginning of the season, we 10-runned Meridian," said Butler City coach Jerry Piroch. "Everybody hit the ball that day. I knew we had the potential, but I didn't think it would all come together in one night like this."While Butler City committed no errors, East Butler made five."Give Butler City credit. They hit the ball," said East Butler coach Carl Hays. "But we didn't make plays behind our pitchers. You just can't do that when you're trying to get back into a game."East Butler's fourth frame was sparked by run-scoring singles from Brad Marra and Rossmiller.Derek Hays added a two-run double and Bill Coleman drove in another run on a groundout.But Butler City, which had tallied 12 runs on 13 hits in the first four innings, didn't let up in the top of the fifth.Bryan Anthony reached base on a fielding error to start the inning, followed by consecutive hits by Chris Codispot, Jeff Slater, Jim McKissick and Clark Liebler.Ken Rosenbauer drove in a run and Jeremy Rivera scored on a double steal.When the hosts finally got off the field, they faced an 18-8 deficit."We came in here thinking if we were going to lose, we were going to go down swinging," said Anthony, who had a solo home run and a grand slam in the first three innings.In the last two games, Anthony has recorded a single, two doubles, a triple and a pair of home runs to go with eight RBI and seven runs scored."For some of these guys this could've been the last game they'd ever play," Anthony said.To make matters worse for East Butler, Butler City starting pitcher Jim McKissick got better as the game went on.Over the final three innings, he didn't give up a run and surrendered only three hits.McKissick, who threw 142 pitches, tallied four of his six strikeouts in the final two innings."It usually takes me a while to get in a groove," he said."Jim's the most durable pitcher," said Piroch. "Absolutely nothing gets to that kid."Despite the lopsided loss, Hays is confident his squad will play like the top-seeded team tonight."We're still the team to beat," he said.<B>Butler City 317 162 3—23 25 0East Butler 102 500 0— 8 11 5W:</B> Jim McKissick 7 IP (6 K, 5 BB). <B>L:</B> Greg Hays 2+ IP (1 K, 0 BB).<B>Butler City (13-8):</B> Ken Rosenbauer 2-1B 2B 2R 3 RBI SB, Jamie Masciarelli 1B R, Bryan Anthony 2B HR GSHR 4R 6 RBI, Chris Codispot 2-1B 2-2B 2R, Jeff Slater 2-1B HR 4R 5 RBI, Jim McKissick 3-1B 2B 3R 3 RBI, Clark Liebler 3-1B 3R 3 RBI, Jose Cumba 1B 2B 2R, Jeremy Rivera 2-1B 2R SB<B>East Butler (16-3):</B> Bill Coleman 1B R RBI SB, Ryan Armahizer 2-2B 2 RBI, Ryan Geibel 3B 2R RBI, Nick Rossmiller 1B 2 RBI, Derek Hays 2B 3 RBI, Nathan Neff SB, Dallas O'Donnell 1B 2B R, Greg Hays 1B R SB, Brad Marra 2-1B R RBI<B>Today:</B> Butler City vs. East Butler, BCAL Playoff Tournament Final, 6 p.m. at Pullman Park