BUTLER TWP — Mars II succeeded in grabbing the momentum, but not for long.

The team tallied three runs in the top of the fifth inning, cutting its deficit to one run against Saxonburg in the third game of a best-of-5 Eagle County League semifinal series Monday at Butler County Community College.

That would be as close as it would get as Saxonburg plated a run in its half of the fifth and went on to a 5-3 victory to close the series.

Saxonburg (29-5) now awaits the winner of the other semifinal between Mars and Cranberry Township.

Mars II's fifth frame ended on a down note when courtesy runner Ryan O'Conner was thrown out at the plate after trying to score on a single by Ryan Ganter.

The base hit came off of Saxonburg reliever Sean O'Donnell and went to left field, where Dustin Uhlman picked the ball up and threw toward the infield. Third baseman Ethan Williams received the throw, then turned and fired a strike to catcher Joe Campbell, who placed the tag on O'Conner for the third out of the inning. Had O'Conner scored, the game would have been tied at four.

“I was coaching third and it sure looked like Ryan got in there to me,” said Mars II player/manager Ryan Leonberg. “You have to give some credit to Saxonburg, though. They made the throw and the catcher was there to make the tag. It was a big play.”

Saxonburg then capitalized on Mars II's inability to tie the game. In the bottom of the frame, Alex Ziegler singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on an infield hit by Ryan Fennell. With Bobby Swartwout at the plate, Ziegler scored on another wild pitch. It proved to be the game's final run.

“That momentum change was tremendous,” said Saxonburg manager Dan Cunningham. “It moved it back to our dugout.”

Just as big was O'Donnell's ability to douse Mars II's attempt at a rally in both the sixth and seventh innings. He had relieved Ziegler with two outs in the fifth frame.

He worked a 1-2-3 sixth before giving up a leadoff double to Eric King in the seventh. O'Donnell then sandwiched a pair of strikeouts around a flyout from Nick Rossmiller to end Mars II's season.

“Sean does a great job of fooling hitters,” said Cunningham. “His fastball is in the low 80s, but he has a tremendous slider. That's his best pitch.”

Saxonburg scored two runs in the bottom of the first off Mars II's Alex Yoder — Ziegler scored on a double steal and Mick Fennell came home on Colin Williamson's double. The hosts added to their lead in the fourth thanks to consecutive RBI-doubles from Zane Voltz and Uhlman.

Mars II, which had failed to score a run on just three hits over the first four innings, finally got to Ziegler in the fifth.

Tom Wigton and C.J. Weigand began the inning with back-to-back singles. Wigton later scored on Leonberg's sacrifice fly. Gabe Stephenson's base hit brought home Weigand and Rossmiller touched the plate on the same play after the ball was misplayed in the outfield. Matt Rovnan walked to put runners at first and second with two outs, but Saxonburg followed with the play at the plate against O'Conner.

Ziegler picked up the win after working 4 2/3 innings and allowing the three runs on six hits.

“This was the first time he has pitched for us,” said Cunningham. “He was pitching for Butler City's legion team earlier in the summer and I didn't want to use him on the mound until that season was over with. His location was good tonight and he kept their hitters off-balanced.”

Mars II finished the season with a solid 24-15-1 record.

“Injuries set us back a bit, but we still ended up with the third-best record in the league,” said Leonberg.

Mars II 000 030 0 — 3 8 1

Saxonburg 200 210 x — 5 9 1

W: Alex Ziegler 4.2 IP (1K, 2BB). L: Alex Yoder 6 IP (4K, 4BB). S: Sean O'Donnell 2.1 IP (2K, 1BB).

Mars II (24-15-1): Eric King 2B, Ryan Leonberg RBI, Nick Rossmiller 2B R, Gabe Stephenson 2-1B RBI, Ryan Ganter 1B, Tom Wigton 1B R, C.J. Weigand 2-1B R

Saxonburg (29-5): Alex Ziegler 1B 2R, Mick Fennell 1B R, Ryan Fennell 1B, Colin Williamson 2B R RBI, Zane Voltz 1B 2B R RBI, Dustin Uhlman 2B RBI, Joe Campbell R, Ethan Williams 1B

Next: Saxonburg vs. Cranberry Township/Mars winner, best-of-5 title series, TBD