Jamie Switalski has worn many hats for the Butler BlueSox.

Sunday night, the role of spark plug suited him just fine.

After letting a 2-0 lead slip away in the top of the eighth inning, the Sox sent Switalski to the plate to lead off the bottom of the inning with the game knotted at two.

The 2014 Pine-Richland graduate had already gone 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored in the game when he set up the game’s winning run with a single off Champion City reliever Conor Grove.

Austin Marchant was brought in from the bullpen to pitch to Tyler Niemann and the latter laced a single to right-center as Switalski advanced to third base.

Marchant got Dillon Sunnafrank to swing at a pitch well out of the zone, but the ball skipped into foul territory, allowing Switalski to score the game-winning run in a 3-2 Prospect League baseball victory at Kelly Automotive Park.

“I didn’t break for the plate right away, but I saw the catcher (Andrew Fishel) turn toward our dugout,” said Switalski. “I heard everybody on the team yelling, “Go! Go! Go! That’s when I went.”

Switalski, in his second season with the BlueSox, has played third base and first base, served as the team’s designated hitter and made 12 pitching appearances this season, including one start.

“I’ve been pitching and playing the field my whole life and I love it,” he said. “It’s good to be known as a guy who can do both.”

“He’s a great guy to have because we can move him around to keep his bat in the lineup,” said Butler manager Jason Radwan.

“When he stays focused, he’s been great for us in the middle of the order. Sometimes, he loses his focus and tries to pull everything and we’ve talked to him about that.”

Switalski is batting .257 (29-for-113) this season with 10 extra-base hits, including two home runs.

“My batting hasn’t always been the way I want it to go, but that’s the case for a lot of guys in this league,” said Switalski. “I just try to stay with the approach and remember all the things I’ve been taught.”

Seneca Valley graduate Connor Coward lowered his earned-run average to 2.35 by pitching six scoreless innings. He struck out six and walked one, moving his totals in those categories this season to 55 and 5, respectively. He left the game leading 2-0.

But after Jack Herzing pitched a scoreless seventh inning, the Kings (5-7) scored two runs off of Zach Patterson.

Fishel walked to start the eighth and Gage Taylor singled with one out. Matt Fallon reached on a fielder’s choice to put runners at first and third.

Matt Furuto then smacked a double to right-center. Fishel scored easily and Fallon came home to tie the game after an errant throw.

Kyle Zurak came in to douse the rally, striking out Lee Sponseller and setting the stage for the decisive bottom of the eighth.

Zurak earned the win by posting a scoreless ninth frame.

Coward’s record remains at 2-1, despite giving up one or less earned runs in five of his eight starts.

“Connor gives us a chance to win every time out,” said Radwan of Coward. “He’s had some tough luck this year. Sometimes, we help him out and sometimes, we don’t. But a win is a win and he has to be happy with the way he pitched tonight.”

Butler scored single tallies in the fourth and fifth off of Champion City starter Brandon Eck. Switalski scored the game’s first run when he doubled and came home on Sunnafrank’s two-base hit.

In the fifth, Tyler Sullivan doubled, moved to third on James Meeker’s groundout and scored on Will Schneider’s sacrifice fly.

Butler (20-23, 6-7 second half) had dropped an 8-1 decision at East Division-leading West Virginia Saturday night. Alex Wagner took the loss after pitching five innings and allowing five unearned runs.

The Sox are off until they host Lafayette on Wednesday.

Champion City 000 000 020 — 2 5 0

Butler 000 110 01x — 3 11 1

W: Kyle Zurak 1.1 IP (2K, 0BB). L: Conor Grove 1 IP (1K, 2BB).

Champion City (5-7): Matt Fallon R, Matt Furuto 1B 2B RBI, Lee Sponseller 1B, Andrew Fishel 1B R, Gage Taylor 1B

Butler (6-7): Tyler Sullivan 1B 2B R, James Meeker 2-1B, Will Schneider 1B RBI, Jamie Switalski 2-1B 2B 2R, Dillon Sunnafrank 2B RBI, Tyler Niemann 2-1B

Wednesday: Lafayette at Butler