BUTLER TWP — Saxonburg looked like a team that was running on empty during its Butler County American Legion losers bracket final against Center Township Thursday.

Center Township pitcher Joe Malardie retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced, including in the fourth inning, when he got three outs with only six pitches, but Saxonburg turned the tide in the fifth.

Saxonburg pieced together a run in the inning without the benefit of a hit. Two additional runs in the sixth helped the team to hold off a seventh-inning rally en route to a 3-2 victory at Highfield Park.

A pair of two-out RBI doubles by Center Township's Zach Rader and Cole Baxter put the tying run in scoring position, but Taylor Ford hit a hard liner to left field that ended the game.

With the win, Saxonburg (12-6) faces Meridian in the BCAL playoff finals Saturday at Pullman Park.

Game 1 is set for 6 p.m. A win by Saxonburg would force Game 2 at 8 with the victor of the double-elimination tournament set to play regular-season champion Center Township next week.

"In the first couple of innings there wasn't a smile on their faces," said Saxonburg manager Ed Beacom about his players. "It wasn't that they were nervous, but they loosened up and I cracked some jokes. ... I told them to have fun."

Center Township (15-4) was coming off a tough 3-2 loss to Meridian Wednesday. All four of Center Township's losses have been by one run.

"We lost an emotional game (Wednesday night) and that took a little wind out of us," said Center Township coach George Rader. "I thought we'd be a little more up. We languished. We needed something to go right."

Center Township almost got that in the first inning when, with a runner at first and two outs, Ford reached on an error before stealing second to put two runners in scoring position.

Zac Sessa hit a blooper down the right-field line that was ruled a foul ball but appeared to land inside the line.

Sessa then flied out to end the inning.

Center Township had two more runners in scoring position in the second with two outs, but Saxonburg pitcher Ryan Letzelter got Rader to ground out to end that threat.

From that point, both pitchers were locked in until that fifth frame, when Saxonburg's Garrett Shaw reached on an error, then a fielder's choice error put runners on the corners.

Nate Travis grounded into a double play to score Shaw.

In the sixth, a sacrifice fly by Cody Beacom and an RBI single by John Campbell opened up a 3-0 Saxonburg advantage.

Center Township made it close in the seventh, when Malardie earned a walk with one out. Ethan Rock grounded into a fielder's choice before Rader and Baxter launched consecutive run-scoring doubles to for a 3-2 game.

Saxonburg 000 012 0 — 3 6 3Center Twp. 000 000 2 — 2 4 3W: Ryan Letzelter 7 IP (4K, 3BB).

L: Joe Malardie 7 IP (1K, 1BB).

Saxonburg (12-6): Mark Keck 2-1B; Cody Beacom RBI; John Campbell 1B, RBI; Garrett Shaw 1B; Ryan Letzelter 2-1B

Center Twp. (15-4): Zach Rader 2B, RBI; Cole Baxter 2B, RBI; Tyler Ford 1B, Ethan Rock 1B;

Saturday: BCAL Playoff finals: Saxonburg vs. Meridian, Pullman Park, 6 p.m. (and 8 p.m., if necessary).