Revenge is sweet
BUTLER TWP — Butler Township got the revenge they needed, and it wasted no time doing it.
Butler strung together eight runs off of six hits in the bottom of the first inning to help secure a 12-5 victory over Freeport in Butler County Area Baseball League playoff action Tuesday night at Highfield.
“Get on them early,” Butler coach Tyler Friel said. “They're a team that's beat us twice this year, so we knew they were going to be a tough opponent and we came out and did everything we needed to do. Literally everything we did was exactly how we drew it up.”
Freeport had beaten Butler both times on Freeport's home field, but things went a little different this time around.
“Again, we were just focused on that they are a good team,” Friel said. “(Joseph) Holtalski, who started the game, threw about 10 innings the last time he played (us), and he was super efficient, so we knew what we were getting into.”
This time around, Hotalski was chased early after getting just two outs in the first, but not before surrendering the first seven runs with one strikeout and three walks.
Freeport's other standout pitcher, Jarrett Heilman, didn't see any time on the mound, but was able to put together a triple and a single at the plate.
“He (Heilman) pitched on Saturday to help get us here,” Freeport coach Joe Hotalski said. “He threw seven innings and I think he threw 85 or 89 pitches so I wasn't throwing him today.”
After the first inning, the game went scoreless until the top of the fifth when Freeport finally got on the board with three runs keyed by Heilman's triple.
Butler fired back with a run of its own in the fifth, and three in the bottom of the sixth. Freeport added two more runs in the seventh, but the hole they dug early was too much to overcome as Butler held on for a seven-run victory.“Three hits speaks for itself,” Joe Hotalski said. “It don't matter who you throw, if you're only going to hit the ball two or three times a game, you're never going to win a ballgame.”Ryan Lynn got the win on the mound for Butler, as he threw a complete game with six walks and three hits, with five earned runs.“I don't necessarily need strikeouts,” Friel said. “We got good defenders, balls in play and that's kind of been our philosophy. I think the pitchers know they got a good seven guys behind them, good catcher. We'll take outs any way they come.”In total Butler collected 13 hits, with Lynn, Nate Stutz, Josh Grigoletti and Kevin King all recording multiple hits.Butler will have to wait for games later this week to see who they will play on Tuesday in the championship game, while Freeport will await the winner of Kiski and Pine-Richland on Saturday on the loser side of the bracket.Karns City and Center Township were both knocked out of the tournament Tuesday.KC dropped an 11-1, five-inning decision at Pine-Richland. Tyler Yough doubled and drove in a run in defeat.Center Township took a bow after a 9-5 loss to Kiski in Apollo. No other details were available.Freeport 000 030 2 — 5 3 3Butler 800 013 x — 12 13 1W: Ryan Lynn 7IP (3K, 6BB). L: Joseph Hotalski 0.2IP (1K, 3BB).Freeport: Austin Kepes 1B, Jarrett Heilman 1B, 3BButler: Nate Stutz 2-1B, 3B, Josh Grigoletti 3-1B, Kevin King 3-1BSaturday: Freeport vs. Kiski/Pine-Richland winner, time TBD.
