FAIRVIEW — Some double plays get lost in the details of a baseball game — crucial hits, key strikeouts and other big defensive plays.

There was no sequence more important in Tuesday's Butler County Area Baseball League game between West Sunbury and Karns City than the twin-killing turned in by the host team.

Karns City had rallied from a four-run deficit to take a 5-4 lead into the top of the sixth inning.

KC starting pitcher Gary Amsler had not issued a walk in the first five innings, but was pulled from the mound after walking the bases loaded with just one out in the sixth.

Reliever Ryan Cooper induced Cooper Boozel to hit a grounder to shortstop, where Mallick Metcalfe fielded the ball before flipping it to Amsler, who had taken over at second base, and the latter fired on to Broc Weigle at first base to complete the 6-4-3 double play.

Cooper went on to set West Sunbury down in order in the seventh to preserve the 5-4 victory.

What made the double play even more notable is that Amsler is left-handed. He dragged his left foot across second base as he accepted the toss from Metcalfe and was able to pivot and get an accurate throw off to first base. Had it been late, Gage Neal would have scored the tying run from third.

“I just tried to get myself (in line with) first and get off a strong throw,” said Amsler. “This is probably one of the best games I've played in.”

Though it did include some tense moments for Amsler, who allowed a three-run home run to Neal and a RBI single to Boozel to trail 4-0 after one-half inning.

“It was pretty hard to put that inning behind me,” Amsler said. “I hate giving up runs.”

“I had to steer the ship in the right direction after that,” said Karns City manager Mike Weigle of getting Amsler refocused. “He has done well against these guys before, both in high school and in this league. We knew we were going with him tonight.”

Amsler rebounded by allowing just two baserunners over the next four innings — singles from Tanner Williams and JD Dessicino in the third and fifth for West Sunbury (5-12).

“We struggled against him as the game wore on, especially with his curveball,” said West Sunbury manager Matt Williams.

Meanwhile, Karns City did all of its scoring in two innings. It cut its deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the third.

Cooper and Metcalfe both singled with one out, with Cooper later scoring on a wild pitch from Brady Thompson.

With two outs, a throwing error allowed Metcalfe to score.

In the fifth, Tyler Yough singled in Metcalfe and Logan Sell before another error led to Zach Blair's single that brought home Yough with the go-ahead run.

Despite taking the loss, Thompson struck out 10 and did not walk a batter in six innings. Two of the runs he allowed were unearned.

“I've been watching Brady since he was 12” said Matt Williams. “This is probably the best game I've ever seen him pitch.

Karns City (7-6) tallied eight hits, two apiece from Metcalfe and Sell, the second and third hitters in the lineup.

“We're scoring a ton of runs this season,” said Mike Weigle. “When everybody's here for us, I'd put our roster up against any team in the league.”

“This one is very frustrating,” Matt Williams said. “There were just a few things we didn't do. We could've won this game 4-1 and we end up losing 5-4.”

West Sunbury 400 000 0 — 4 6 2

Karns City 002 030 x — 5 8 1

W: Gary Amsler 5.1 IP (5K, 3BB). L: Brady Thompson 6 IP (10K, 0BB). S: Ryan Cooper 1.2 IP (1K, 0BB).

West Sunbury (5-12): Mason Mershimer 2B R, Gage Neal HR 3RBI, Shane Thompson 2B R, Cooper Boozel 1B RBI

Karns City (7-6): Mallick Metcalfe 1B 2B 2R, Logan Sell 2-1B R, Tyler Yough 1B R 2RBI, Zach Blair 1B RBI

Thursday: Cranberry Township at Karns City; West Sunbury at East Butler