In order to top Champion City's Connor Curlis, Butler pitcher Nick Bucci needed to be great Wednesday night.

He was.

Bucci struck out five and walked none while shutting out the Kings on just three hits in a complete-game, 3-0 victory in a Prospect League East Division baseball game at Kelly Automotive Park.

Curlis had an exceptional game, tying the league record for strikeouts in a single contest with 16. He allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits in seven innings.

“A game like this isn't fun for the hitters,” said Butler manager Cody Herald, “but it's great because when a team finally does break through on offense, it's very exciting.”

For Butler, that respite came in the bottom of the seventh.

Through six innings, Curlis, who pitches collegiately at Ohio State University, had allowed just one baserunner. He struck out the first eight batters he faced to begin the game, but his defense let him down in what would be his final inning on the mound.

Tanner Murphy reached on a fielding error to begin the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Calvin Scott drew a walk before Kristian Webb launched a first-pitch fastball into the left-center field gap. The double plated two runs and put Bucci in position to earn his fourth win of the season.

Curlis finished the inning with his final two strikeouts, but the damage was done.

“There have been times this year when our offense has been on fire,” said Herald, who has seen his team win two straight games despite a combined eight hits. “But what we got from Kristian there was timely hitting.”

Bucci then retired the final six batters of the game, clinching the rubber match of the three-game series.

He received an insurance run in the eighth when Ben Carew singled home Pavin Parks with Champion City reliever Joe Crisp on the mound.

“I've extended him (Bucci) a few times and last week, he pitched 8 1/3 innings (in a 6-3 win over Kokomo) before he came out,” said Butler pitching coach Josh Forbes. “So this was his first complete game for us. He did a fantastic job and was so efficient with what he was doing. I didn't even talk to him during the game. I just let him go.”

Bucci's longest stretch of perfection came from the first through the fifth inning when he set down 15 straight Kings. He allowed three singles in the game — to Jack Schaaf in the first inning, Jett Swetland in the sixth and Phil Wells in the seventh.

“When he's hitting his spots like that, I can call any pitch at any point in the count,” said Webb, who caught Bucci's gem. “It makes my job a whole lot easier.”

Webb and his teammates were fooled regularly by Curlis over the first six innings.

“He was getting both his fastball and curveball over for strikes,” said Webb.

“Eight strikeouts to start the game, that's pretty impressive,” Forbes said. “He was absolutely lights-out. Some baseball fans don't realize how great a game like this is; two pitchers out there in their own little zone.”

Bucci was unavailable for comment.

Butler (16-15) begins a four-game road trip today at Chillicothe.

Champion City 000 000 000 — 0 3 1

Butler 000 000 21x — 3 4 0

W: Nick Bucci 9 IP (5K, 0BB). L: Connor Curlis 7 IP (16K, 1BB).

Champion City (20-13): Jack Schaaf 1B, Phil Wells 1B, Jett Swetland 1B

Butler (16-15): Tanner Murphy R, Calvin Scott 1B R, Kristian Webb 2B 2RBI, Pavin Parks R, Joe Gunn 1B, Ben Carew 1B RBI

Today: Butler at Chillicothe