SLIPPERY ROCK — A rivalry is brewing.

Ryan McChesney's RBI double in the top of the eighth inning helped the Butler BlueSox to a 4-3 victory and a split of their Prospect League doubleheader with Slippery Rock Sunday at Critchfield Park.

The Sliders won the first game, 5-2, the only time in five meetings between the clubs this season the outcome was decided by more than two runs.

Slippery Rock has won three of the five games against its neighbor. The BlueSox and Sliders meet again tonight at Pullman Park. Two local pitchers — Butler graduate Brian Warheit for the BlueSox, Seneca Valley graduate Cory Mazzoni for the Sliders — will be on the mound.

"I guess there is a bit of a rivalry there," Sliders manager and Knoch graduate Chase Rowe said. "It's fun playing against those guys. They have a scrappy team that plays hard and so do we.

"I wish we could play them every game."

The Sliders nearly had their fourth win over Butler in five games, only to watch the BlueSox erase a 3-0 deficit in the nightcap.

Nate King, a product of Lower Columbia Junior College in Washington state who was recently offered a scholarship by North Carolina State, threw four scoreless innings at Butler before leaving with a 3-0 lead. He threw 76 pitches.

"Nate hadn't pitched in nearly two months and was a little rusty," Rowe said.

The BlueSox got to relief pitcher and Butler product Josh Marchinoski for two runs in the fifth. Brian Youchak walked and eventually scored on a passed ball and Sean Gusrang's infield single plated McChesney.

Slippery Rock University pitcher J.T. Thomas started the sixth for the Sliders, walked two batters on nine pitches and was pulled. Youchak grounded into a fielder's choice to tie the game.

"I love the way we scratched our way back, but that's the kind of team I wanted to put together," BlueSox manager Jason Wuerfel said. "We went out and found a bunch of guys who can bunt, hit and run, steal bases, take the extra base ... That's the way we play."

After Slippery Rock left the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, the BlueSox took the lead in the eighth.

Brian Billigen singled to right and was bunted to second by Youchak. Rowe elected to intentionally walk Zach Noonan, a .300 hitter who struck out three times in the game, to pitch to catcher McChesney, who began the day hitting .214.

"He (McChesney) had been hitting the ball on the ground and we've been doing a great job turning double plays," Rowe said.

McChesney foiled the move by doubling down the right field line. Noonan was thrown out trying to score from first, but the BlueSox had the lead.

"I would have done the same thing," Wuerfel said of the intentional walk. "Ryan would be the first one to tell you he doesn't run well. It was the percentage move.

"Ryan is a good hitter, though. He's gotten off to a slow start, but his bat is coming around."

The Sliders threatened in the bottom of the eighth as Jacob Petkac walked and Charlie Kelly singled him to second. Shane Eyler — who had three hits, a homer and three RBI in the first game — grounded into a force play at third.

Relief pitcher Matt Zicher induced two more ground ball outs to end the game.

"Eyler was the Northeast Conference Player of the Year this spring at Mount St. Mary's, hitting .380 with 15 home runs," Rowe said. "I thought about the sacrifice bunt there, but I doubt he's been called on to bunt very often.

"With the caliber of players in this league, sometimes you have to manage a little differently."

Right-hander Andrew Morris took all the strategy out of the first game, tossing a three-hitter and needing just 86 pitches for a complete game.

Morris is 4-0 on the season and began the day with a 0.90 earned run average.

"I was hitting spots with my fastball today and that set everything else up," he said.

Billigen homered to lead off the fourth inning. Noonan reached on a bunt single and scored in the seventh for the BlueSox.

All of the Sliders' offense came from two bats. SRU standout Derek Diruscia had a double, two singles and an RBI. Eyler homered, doubled and singled, collecting three RBI.

No other Sliders player had a hit in the first game.

Notes: The BlueSox defeated the North Coast Knights, 5-3, Saturday night at Pullman Park. Winning pitcher Tom Kahl struck out seven in 5.2 innings. ... Mazzoni is 1-1 with a 3.71 ERA for the Sliders and has 16 strikeouts in 17 innings. Warheit is 1-0 with a 3.65 ERA for the BlueSox.

First GameButler 000 100 1 — 2 3 3Slippery Rock 000 212 x — 5 6 1W: Andrew Morris (7 IP) 6 K, 2 BB.

L: Andrew DiNardo (6 IP) 2 K, 2 BB.

Butler: Brian Billigen HR, Brian Youchak 1B, Zach Noonan 1B, Sean Gusrang RBI

Slippery Rock: Nick Spisak RBI, Derek Diruscia 2B 2-1B RBI, Shane Eyler HR 2B 1B 3-RBI

Second GameButler 000 021 01 — 4 10 2Slippery Rock 010 200 00 — 3 8 2W: Anthony Munoz (2 IP) 0 K, 2 BB.

L: Matt Zicher (1 IP) 0 K, 1 BB.

Butler (7-7): Brian Billigen 2-1B, Brian Youchak RBI, Ryan McChesney 2B 1B RBI, Jack Healey 1B, Sean Gusrang 2-1B RBI, Aaron Ordy 1B, Eric Hymel 2B 1B

Slippery Rock (7-7): Nick Spisak 1B, Derek Diruscia 1B, Charlie Kelly 2-1B 2-R, Shane Eyler 1B RBI, Kenny Stoneback 1B RBI, Marcus Breeden 1B, Billy Messer 1B

Today: Slippery Rock at Butler, 6:35 p.m., Pullman Park