BUTLER TWP — One good swing spoiled a whole bunch of others.

Ian Hawthorn drilled a three-run homer to left in the fourth inning Tuesday evening, lifting Clarion to a 10-8 victory over Butler Township in the loser's bracket final of the Little League District 25 11-year-old All-Star tournament at Highfield Park.

The home run was Hawthorn's third of the tournament and spoiled a Butler Township comeback. BT trailed 7-2 after two innings before rallying to take an 8-7 advantage into the fourth.

“That home run gave the momentum back to us and we never let it go,” Clarion manager Lee Weber said.

Both teams wound up going to their ace pitchers late in the game. The winner faced having to defeat Franklin twice to win the district title.

“Every team in this tournament can hit the ball,” Butler Township manager Dan Lynn said. “I'm not surprised this was a high-scoring game.

“That home run was surprising, though. That kid's not very big, but we left a pitch up and he put a good swing on it.”

Butler Township scored five times in the top of the fourth to take the lead. Alex Culbertson and Devin Hayward began the inning with singles.

A walk to Justin Stewart loaded the bases and Ryan Lynn delivered a two-run single to left. Braden Thomas added a two-run single later in the frame and Culbertson drew a bases-loaded walk off Clarion ace Noah Myers to force home a run.

“We didn't want to use Noah today, but Butler made it tough on us,” Weber said.

BT ace hurler Camden Laconi took over mound duties after Hawthorn's three-run homer.

Hawthorn went 3-for-3 in the game, scoring three runs and knocking in four. The first four batters in Clarion's lineup were a combined 9-for-13 and scored seven of the team's 10 runs.

Butler Township committed three errors in the first two innings, two of the miscues contributing to a six-run Clarion second inning.

“Walks and errors will kill you every time,” Lynn said. “They killed us in this game.”

Thomas had two singles and three RBI while Laconi scored two runs to lead Butler Township. Culbertson was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double leading off the five-run BT fourth and Clarion turned a double play in the sixth.

“Those were two big plays for us,” Weber said. “If we don't get that first out (in the fourth), they might still be hitting,” Weber said.

Butler Twp. 021 500 — 8 10 3Clarion 160 30x — 10 12 0W: Noah Myers 2.2 IP (1K, 2BB).

L: Shawn Marcellus 1.2 IP (0K, 0BB).

Butler Township: Justin Stewart 1B, Ryan Linn 1B 2-RBI, Camden Laconi 1B 2-R, McGwire Covert 1B, Braden Thomas 2-1B 3-RBI, Alex Culbertson 2-1B 2-RBI, Devin Hayward 3B 1B RBI

Clarion: Spencer Miller 2B 1B 2-RBI 2-R, Cameron Craig 2-1B RBI 2-R, Ian Hawthorn 2-1B HR 4-RBI 3-R, Noah Myers 2B 1B, Cameron Hearst 1B, Riley Hummell 2-1B

Today: Clarion at Franklin, District 25 championship