BUTLER TWP — Center Township was closing in fast, but Butler City just closed the door.

Steve Bartley hit a two-strike grand slam in the bottom of the fourth inning to send Butler City to a 9-5, first-round victory in the Butler County American Legion baseball playoffs at Highfield Park Monday.

Center Township had just made it a 4-3 contest with three runs in the top of the fourth, capped by a two-run shot by Cole Baxter.

"For some kids it would bother me if they were 0-2 in the count," said Butler City manager Jerry Piroch. "With Steve Bartley, I never do that. He always has his head in the game. He knows the count, knows what's going on."

"That one big hit, that grand slam, hurt us," said Center Township manager John Link.

With the win, No. 4 seed Butler City will face top-seeded Meridian at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Highfield. Center Township, the No. 5 seed, will play at No. 8 seed West Sunbury at 6 p.m. today.

Butler City jumped out to a 3-0 first-inning lead when it ripped three doubles off CT starting pitcher Tyler Vidmar.

Brandon Lamotte, who opened with a double and moved to third one out later on a wild pitch, scored on an error. John Cumpston and Jose Cumba promptly followed with consecutive RBI doubles.

Butler City make it a 4-0 contest in the third inning, when Steve Kuhrt scored all the way from second base after an errant pickoff attempt by pitcher Ford went into center field.

Center Township, however, climbed back into the game with three runs in the fourth inning.

Taylor Ford led off with a double and Jake Thompson reached on an error to put runners at first and second. One out later, Thompson attempted to steal, and when Butler City catcher Jose Cumba threw to second base, Ford trotted home with the team's first run.

Baxter then deposited Wes Henderson's pitch over the left-field wall to make it 4-3.

But any momentum was gone when Bartley hit his two-out grand slam.

"That was probably the play of the game," said Link. "Our guy had just hit a home run and brought us back."

A fielder's choice grounder by Thompson in the fifth inning and an RBI by Zach Rader in the sixth pulled Center Township to 8-5, but Kuhrt drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth inning to close out the scoring.

Henderson limited Center Township to six hits in a complete-game effort, striking out six and walking one.

"He was cool, calm and collected," said Piroch. "He threw 79 pitches. That's a good outing."

Center Twp. 000 311 0 — 5 6 4Butler City 301 401 x — 9 11 3W: Wes Henderson (7 IP) 6 K, 1 BB.

L: Tyler Vidmar (1 IP) 2 K, 0 BB.

Center Twp.: Zac Sessa 1B; Taylor Ford 2B; Todd Wiest 1B, 3B; Cole Baxter 1B, HR, 2 RBI; Zach Rader RBI

Butler City: Brandon Lamotte 1B, 2B; Clark Liebler 1B; Jeff Slater 2-1B, RBI; John Cumpston 2NB, RBI; Jose Cumba 1B, 2B, RBI; Steve Bartley 2-1B, GSHR; Steve Kuhrt RBI

Today:

Consolation round-Center Twp. at West Sunbury, 6 p.m.

Wednesday:

Semifinals-Butler City vs. Meridian at Highfield, 6 p.m.;