The pitching staff for Cumming Motors closed the regular season in style with a pair of shutouts in a doubleheader sweep of Meadville on Sunday. But the team learned early on that Wednesday’s Tri-State Collegiate League baseball playoff game against the Butler Iron Bucks would be much different.

Butler Iron Bucks’ Lenny Piccini, right, is greeted at home plate after hitting a 3-run home run in Wednesday’s playoff game against Cumming Motors from Altoona. The Bucks advanced with a 13-2 win. Justin Guido/Butler Eagle 07/19/23

The Bucks greeted starting pitcher Eli Wiles with four straight hits in the bottom of the first inning and went on to rout the visitors, 13-2, at Pullman Park.

“They threw their best guy at us,” said Iron Bucks manager Len Piccini. “We hadn’t seen (Wiles) all year. Brady Gavula’s hit (a leadoff double) was the key. That set the tone and our confidence was through the roof.”

Gavula’s hit was followed by a single from Mattix Clement, a double off the bat of Gino Scott and another base hit from Brent Creehan. The flurry gave the Bucks an early 3-0 lead.

Gavula finished the game with three hits.

“I had never batted leadoff in my life, but I started batting there last week and have 11 hits in our last five games,” said Gavula. “I’m an aggressive hitter. Pitchers are throwing me a lot of first-pitch fastballs, just trying to get ahead in the count and I’m making them pay for it.”

Clement, Scott, Creehan and Dustin Strom each had two hits in the win. Also part of Butler’s 15-hit barrage was Lenny Piccini’s 3-run home run in the bottom of the third, the last inning on the mound for Wiles.

Unlike their counterparts, Butler’s pitchers had a strong collective performance. Starter Pat Synan struck out seven in five innings. He allowed a two-run single to Max Rodgers in the fourth frame, but Cumming Motors (10-15), from Altoona, managed no more runs against relievers Ryan Gallagher, Tyler Rekich and Sam Ranallo.

Butler Iron Bucks #4 Brent Creehan gets tagged out by Cumming Motors’ Max Rodgers in a baseball playoff Tri-State Collegiate League game at Pullman Park in Butler on Wednesday July 19 , 2023. Justin Guido/ Butler Eagle 07/19/23

The quartet of pitchers combined to strike out 11 and walked just three.

The Bucks (15-12) will next be in action on Saturday in a semifinal game at a site to be determined against the winner of Thursday’s game between Creekside and DuBois.

Butler Iron Bucks #1 Dustin Strom makes it back to first base Cumming Motors Kevin Lehner drops the ball in a baseball playoff Tri-State Collegiate League game at Pullman Park in Butler on Wednesday July 19 , 2023. Justin Guido/ Butler Eagle 07/19/23

Note: The Butler BlueSox (15-12) saw their season come to an end, dropping a quarterfinal game to Meadville Tuesday night by the score of 12-6. Meadville will on Friday host East Butler (11-14), which defeated the 3B Barons, 7-4, on Wednesday.

Cumming Motors 000 200 000 — 2 8 4

Iron Bucks 303 401 20x — 13 15 1

W: Pat Synan 5 IP (7K, 1BB). L: Eli Wiles 3 IP (2K, 5BB).

Cumming Motors: Colton Bird 2-1B, Max Rodgers 1B 2RBI, Matt Smith 3-1B

Iron Bucks: Brady Gavula 2-1B 2B 3R RBI, Mattix Clement 2-1B 2R, Gino Scott 2B 3B 3R 3RBI, Brent Creehan 2-1B 2R 2RBI, Lenny Piccini HR 4RBI, Dustin Strom 1B 2B, Brian Woods 1B RBI

Saturday: Iron Bucks vs. Creekside/DuBois winner, TBD