When it comes to movement on the basepaths, it’s never a dull moment for the UAA-Karns City Colt baseball team.

In Wednesday’s Butler County Prep League championship game, the squad never slowed down, swiping 11 bases, including five from starting pitching Tyler Kepple in a 6-1 triumph over Slippery Rock at Pullman Park.

“We’re running until you throw us out,” said Karns City manager Greg Weckerly. “As a team, the kids definitely have a lot of speed.”

A four-run uprising in the fifth inning helped to pull away from a pesky Slippery Rock team.

“We had a couple of situations which could have changed the game,” said Slippery Rock coach Darren Schulz. “We ran into a great pitcher and a team that’s fundamentally sound. When you pitch well and play good defense, that limits your opportunities.”

Kepple also tossed a complete-game four-hitter with seven strikeouts and three walks.

“The kids played solid defense and Tyler pitched a great game,” Weckerly added.

It was the fifth inning that gave Karns City (12-5) some breathing room.

Holding a 2-1 lead, Kepple led off with a walk off Joe Barnhart, then stole second and advanced to third on a single by Zach Moore, who moved up to second on the throw into the infield.

Dalton Bly followed with an RBI single to put runners on the corners.

With Bly attempting to steal, Slippery Rock catcher Noah Hastings fired the ball to third base, catching Moore going back to the bag.

A Matt Yough single helped put runners at second and third before Mike Riley added an RBI single.

Two more runs scored on an error and a fielder’s choice to give Karns City a 6-1 advantage.

Slippery Rock (10-5-2) would get a pair of two-out singles by Dylan Neal and Andrew Hufnagel in the top of the sixth inning, but Kepple fanned Bruce Pelletier to end the threat.

Karns City loaded the bases in the sixth inning, but reliever Cody Stephenson induced Riley to ground out.

Karns City broke through with single runs in the third and fourth innings — a two-out run-scoring single by Moore and an RBI double by Dillin Geibel, respectively.

Slippery Rock got its lone run in the fourth inning to cut the deficit in half, when with one out, Pelletier struck out, but reached first base on the wild pitch.

He advanced to third on a wild pitch, then scored on another wild pitch which was ball four to Hunter Brandenburgh.

Hastings walked and Taylor Buhler had an infield single which loaded the bases, but Jake Arienzo, the courtesy runner for Hastings, rounded second too far and was tagged out when he retreated back to second base.

“That’s an excellent UAA team over there,” said Schulz on Karns City. “Top to bottom, they scraped some runs together. Tthe bottom line was their pitching and defense. Sometimes, you have to tip your cap to the other team.”

“Everyone contributed,” said Weckerly. “We had 12 hits. It’s a good team ... On the field, we go as one. This is a great group of kids.”

Slippery Rock 000 010 0 — 1 4 3Karns City 001 140 x — 6 12 1W: Tyler Kepple 7 IP (7K, 3BB).

L: Joe Barnhart 5 IP (5K, 1BB).

Slippery Rock (10-5-2): Taylor Buhler 1B; Dylan Neal 1B; Andrew Hufnagel 1B; Ryan Bosch 1B

UAA-Karns City (12-5): Scotty Kiser 2-1B; Tyler Kepple 1B; Zach Moore 2-1B, RBI; Dalton Bly 1B, RBI; Matt Yough 2-1B; Mike Riley 3-1B, RBI; Dillin Geibel 2B, 2 RBI