Butler Township's Kyle Weitzel (24) rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam in the first inning of Thursday night's 14-1 triumph over East Butler at Speed O Field. The game culminated the first night of action in the Butler County Area Baseball League and the first time many of the players had a chance to take to the diamond for a game since March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

EAST BUTLER — It took just moments for Butler Township to flex its muscles.

The Butler County Area Baseball League’s defending champion received a two-run double from Colby Anderson, the third batter of the game, and later in the first inning a grand slam from Kyle Weitzel en route to a 14-1, five-inning win over East Butler at Speed O Field Thursday night.

It was the opening game for both teams.

“Eight runs in the first inning, you can’t ask for more than that,” said BT manager Tyler Friel. “And it was one through nine for us, too. Even our outs were good outs.”

Weitzel, who sent a fastball over the right-center field wall, made sure to stay in shape during the recent quarantine because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I lifted weights and was able to get some swings in at a batting cage,” he said. “We missed out on the entire spring and it was just exciting to get out and play.”

East Butler starting pitcher Mike Bortmas finally made it out of the first inning, but was chased from the mound after allowing the first three batters to reach base in the second inning — walks to Josh Grigoletti and Zack Slomers and a single to Josh Bonetti.

With one out, Braden Marcellus cleared the bases with a double off of reliever Clay Collins and the lead swelled to 11-0.

“This was a warmup game for us,” said East Butler manager Paul Patten. “We’ll hold our own once we shake the rust off.”

Butler Township tallied 12 hits in the game, including four doubles. Weitzel and Anderson both drove in four runs and Marcellus had three.

“We got three practices in and some of our guys took batting practice on Monday,” said Friel. “Once we got the green light, we tried to do as much as we could.

“We’re not going to score 14 runs every game. How do we battle at the plate? How do we do with situational hitting, those things are going to be key.”

Braden Haggetter followed Bortmas and Collins on the mound for East Butler, which avoided being shut out when Hunter Green singled home Mike Wiles in the fifth.

Bonetti and Grigoletti both pitched two innings for Butler Township before Weitzel closed the game in the fifth frame.

“We ask our pitchers to work quickly and throw strikes and they all did that,” said Friel. “Kyle is not a pitcher by nature, but that’s going to be the story for us, especially early in the season. A lot of guys will have to pitch.”

Butler Twp. 830 30x x — 14 12 0

East Butler000 01x x — 1 4 2

WP: Josh Bonetti 2 IP (2K, 3BB). LP: Mike Bortmas 1+ IP (1K, 4BB).

Butler Township (1-0): Kyle Weitzel 1B GSHR 3R 4RBI, Bryan Presco 2-1B R, Colby Anderson 1B 2B R 4RBI, Josh Bonetti 1B 2B 2R RBI, Kevin King 1B 2B 2R, Braden Marcellus 2B 3RBI

East Butler (0-1): Alex Collins 2B, Hunter Green 1B RBI

Saturday: Butler Township at Pine-Richland; Saxonburg at East Butler