Butler Bluesox mascot Babe the Ox hangs out with a dog before the game against the West Virginia Miners at Kelly Automotive Park in Butler last month.

The future of the Butler BlueSox is suddenly cloudy.

In a news release issued late Sunday night by the Butler Bluesox Baseball Organization, the ownership group announced the club will be leaving the Prospect League after 10 seasons.

“This decision by the local ownership group was a difficult one to make and was only reached after careful consideration of many, many factors,” the release read.

Butler is coming off its worst season in the Prospect League, going 21-39 and closing the year on a nine-game losing streak. Butler compiled a 303-277 record during its tenure in the league.

The Prospect League was formed in 2007.

In 2014, the BlueSox had a league-best record of 40-20 and advanced to the playoffs for the first time, but were swept in the first round.

Last season, Butler made it to the championship series, but lost the third and decisive game at home to Lafayette to fall just short of the Prospect League title.

Now, the BlueSox are looking for a new league nearly 10 years after their first game at the newly renovated Pullman Park on June 4, 2009, that drew 16,000 fans.

Butler was the easternmost town in the league and the BlueSox had the most travel of any of the current 11 teams.

Owner Larry Sassone could not be reached for comment Sunday night.

Read more about this story in Monday's Butler Eagle.