The Butler baseball team did everything Thursday night against Pine-Richland that it has done all season on the way to a 10-1 start.

Except score runs.

The Golden Tornado left at least one runner on base in every inning, but couldn't get the big hit that has been their trademark this season in a 6-2 setback to the Rams at Pullman Park.

“It's gonna happen. Sometimes you're gonna hit balls at people,” said Butler coach Todd Erdos.

Butler (10-2, 6-2) stranded eight runners on base in the game. The seventh inning was a microcosm of the Tornado's woes as they loaded the bases with none out and managed to score just one run.

The pitching of Rams' starter Zac LeNeve and the defense behind him had a lot to do with that, too.

LeNeve, his fastball hitting the mid-to-upper 80s, was adept at getting huge outs when he needed them.

“Zac is a heck of an athlete,” said Pine-Richland coach Kurt Wolfe. “He stepped up and made pitches when he had to. We talked all year about our pitchers just throwing strikes. We have a good defense and we want to give them an opportunity to make plays.”

LeNeve walked just one batter.

The same couldn't be said for Butler pitcher Tyler Slepski, who struggled with his control.

That has been rare for the Tornado left-hander, but he walked four in his four innings of work. Three of those walks, as well as a hit batter, came around to score as Slepski left the game with Butler trailing 5-1.

“Previously, Tyler has been able to locate and not put people on base,” Erdos said. “It was one of those games where he didn't have his best stuff. He battled when he could.”

Matt Baranchak pitched the final three innings for Butler, giving up just one run.

Pine-Richland used the small ball to get that final run. After consecutive singles, Shea Sullivan moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt and Chris Miller followed with another sacrifice bunt that plated a run.

The Rams scored in all conceivable ways against Butler: sacrifices, wild pitches, singles and errors.

Just as Wolfe likes it.

“We always try to do that in every game,” Wolfe said. “We feel like we are very athletic and very fast as a team. We can run. We try to take that extra base and try to score any way we can.”

The loss knocks Butler into second place in the section and vaults Pine-Richland into the top spot.

Erdos said his message to his team was simple: Learn and move on.

“It's a tough loss. Guys take it personally,” Erdos said. “They don't like to lose and they don't want to lose. We know what we can do. We know what we did wrong. Bounce back the next time.”

Butler returns to action Monday night, hosting Shaler.

Pine-Richland 012 210 0 — 6 7 0Butler 010 000 1 — 2 8 1W: Zac LaNeve 7IP (5K, 1BB).

L: Tyler Slepski 4IP (4K, 4BB).

Pine-Richland (9-2, 6-1): Russell Clark 1B RBI, Shane Heim 21B RBI, Michael Wood 2-1B, Shea Sullivan 1B RBI

Butler (10-2, 6-2): Mick Fennell 3-1B, Nate Bresnahan 1B 2B, Ethan Rock RBI

Monday: Shaler at Butler