The Butler BlueSox took better late than never to the extreme Friday night.

The Sox tallied more offense in the ninth inning than they did through the first eight frames, rallying to defeat East Butler, 9-5, in Tri-County Collegiate League baseball play at Pullman Park.

Butler had three runs on seven hits prior to erupting for six runs on six hits against Bulldogs reliever Jack Baumgartel.

“I just wish we wouldn’t wait so late to have a big inning,” said Butler manager Dan Helgert, “but I give a lot of credit to their starting pitcher (Cameron Hayes). “He threw really well and kept us off-balance.”

Trailing 5-3, the first four Butler batters reached base in the top of the ninth. Joey Woodrow’s fly ball to right was lost in the lights and dropped in for a double. He scored on Turner Grau’s base hit. Quinn Burke followed with a single and Trent Bielak’s two-run double gave the Sox a 6-5 lead.

“That fly ball in the lights started things off for them,” said East Butler manager Greg Folk. “After that, things snowballed on us.”

An error allowed another run to score, Ben Aftanas drove in one with a single and Tate Minich added an RBI-ground out.

Maddox Statler, who relieved starter Justin Branigan in the seventh, worked a scoreless bottom of the ninth to earn the win.

The Sox (10-6) led 2-1 going into the bottom of the seventh before the Bulldogs (7-8) plated four runs to take a 5-2 lead. The big hit was a two-out, two-run double off the bat of Brandon Koroly.

Hayes was in line for the victory. He struck out 10, walked just two and allowed three runs on six hits in 7.1 innings of work.

“He was lights out, just dominating,” Folk said. “But his pitch count was getting a little high and these are young arms, so we took him out.

“Butler needed this one. They have a tough road ahead.”

The Sox and Bulldogs have now played each other five times this season, with Butler winning four.

“East Butler is a good ball club,” said Helgert. “We’ve been around for a few years and they are new to the league this season. That benefits us.”

BlueSox 000 001 116 — 9 13 2

Bulldogs 001 000 400 — 5 8 3

W: Maddox Statler 2.2 IP (2K, 0BB). L: Jack Baumgartel 1.2 IP (0K, 1BB).

BlueSox: Tate Minich 1B 2RBI, Joey Woodrow 2-2B 2R, Turner Grau 2-1B R RBI, Trent Bielak 2B 2RBI, Tanner Donati 2-1B 2R RBI, Ben Aftanas 2-1B RBI

East Butler: Brandon Koroly 2B 3B 3RBI, Andrew Tkatch 2B R, AJ Kuzior 3-1B R RBI