BUTLER TWP — Josh Friel's uniform was layered with dirt as he walked off the field Tuesday night at Highfield Park.

It served as proof for a rewarding night of hard work for the right-hander.

Friel struck out 15 and allowed just three hits during a complete-game shutout and scored the lone run in Butler City's 1-0 win over Slippery Rock in the first round of the Butler County American Legion playoffs.

The gem didn't come easily, though.

Friel — who walked five and threw 148 pitches — escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the seventh inning to secure the victory and also wiggled out of trouble in the first inning with the bases loaded and one out.

After two infield hits and a walk juiced the bases in the seventh, Friel recorded his 15th strikeout of the game and induced a fly out to Sheldon Hile in short right field to end the game.

“I was just sticking with it. I had to work for it,” said Friel. “I had a good defense behind me, Zig (catcher Alex Ziegler) called a good game behind the plate.

“My arm was kind of sore before the game. I just pitched Saturday,” he added, “but the adrenaline was flowing and it just felt like a good night.

“Nothing like playoff baseball.”

Ryan Grace was the hard-luck loser for sixth-seeded Slippery Rock (9-8) after he gave up one run on seven hits over six innings. He worked efficiently, didn't walk a batter, plunked one and threw 66 of 84 pitches for strikes.

“That was a great game. It was definitely a pitchers' duel,” said Slippery Rock manager Jerry Saylor. “We had plenty of opportunities. We had runners on base in five out of the seven innings and we didn't score. We didn't hit when we needed a hit.

“Nevertheless, it was a great game,” he added. “Both teams need applause for that effort.”

Grace kept third-seeded Butler City (13-6) off the board through five innings.

“I started harping at the guys because in the fifth inning,” said Butler City manager Jerry Piroch. “We had two guys come up and between two of them we struck out on six pitches and swung at one. I said, 'Guys, he's pounding the zone. Put that bat on it.'

Friel obliged with a one-out single to left-center field in the sixth and took off for second on a hit-and-run with Tim Butler facing a 2-0 pitch.

Butler deposited a line drive into right-center field and a momentary bobble in the outfield was all Piroch needed to give Friel the green light for home.

“I was nervous,” admitted Friel.

“Just before he got to third base, I saw them fumbling the ball,” said Piroch. “I told him to keep going, 'Go, go, go!' He never broke stride.”

Friel and Butler both went 2-for-3 and were the only players to record multiple hits.

“Timmy leads us in RBIs and he gets the hit when we need the hit,” said Piroch.

Piroch decided to put on the hit-and-run rather than a straight steal after Slippery Rock catcher Collin Lawson caught Ziegler stealing earlier in the game.

“Their catcher is a dominant catcher. He's got a gun,” said Piroch of Lawson. “(Friel and Butler) both picked (the sign) up and we were good to go.”

“Worked to perfection,” Friel noted.

Jesse Hodge led off the game with a single, before a walk and an error loaded the bases. Friel fanned the next two batters to prevent any damage.

Slippery Rock left 10 runners on base, including six in scoring position.

“We're very young and the kids are starting to come together now more so as a team than they have all year,” said Saylor. “That was a good team we played. I take my hat off to them. They have good pitching and they hit the ball when they needed to and that was the difference.”

Both teams return to action in the double-elimination tournament on Thursday at a time and place to be determined.

“Give Slippery Rock credit,” said Piroch, who gave Friel the game ball in the postgame huddle.

“This was all Josh,” Piroch said. “I was a spectator for one of the greatest games.”

Slippery Rock 000 000 0 — 0 3 0

Butler City 000 001 x — 1 7 2

W: Josh Friel 7IP (15K, 5BB). L: Ryan Grace 6IP (9K, 0BB).

Slippery Rock (9-8): Jesse Hodge 1B, BB; Derek Saylor 1B; Ryan Grace 3-BB; Hunter Brandenburg 1B; Dylan Underwood BB

Butler City (13-6): Alex Ziegler 1B, HBP; Shay Stobert 1B; Josh Friel 2-1B, R; Tim Butler 2-1B, RBI; Chris Manney 1B

Thursday: Butler City in winner's bracket semifinal, TBA; Slippery Rock in elimination game, TBA