BUTLER TWP - For six innings, the Butler baseball team outplayed Mt. Lebanon.

But the Golden Tornado learned Thursday that's not always enough to win a game.

Butler (0-6) watched as Mt. Lebanon put up five runs in the top of the first inning for a lead the Blue Devils rode to a 7-5 non-section win at Highfield Park.

"Five runs in one inning, that's something you just can't give up," said Butler coach Ron Zawrotuk. "It doesn't matter if it's the first, third or fifth inning."

Butler trailed 7-4 entering its last at-bat before Tornado designated hitter Jim McCaslin homered to left-center off of Mike Fletcher to make it 7-5.

Five batters later, the Tornado had runners at second and third with two outs when T.J. Bayer lined out to left field to end the game.

The top of the first inning saw Mt. Lebanon's Tucker Stobbe hit a two-run home run before Eric Isler's two-run double. Isler then scored on an error and the Tornado's chances looked bleak early on.

All five runs came against Butler starter Brian Warheit, who took the loss after four innings of work.

"We ended up playing a lot of younger kids today," said Mt. Lebanon coach Pat McCloskey. "We came out swinging the bats well and it was nice to see the kids swinging at strikes."

The youth also came back to bite the Blue Devils (5-3).

Leading 7-2 after 3½ innings of play, Mt. Lebanon committed three errors in the bottom of the fourth behind reliever Joe Perotti. The miscues led to two unearned runs for Butler.

Aaron Ordy's single drove home Brandon Johnston and courtesy runner Joe Black scored on a fielding error.

Perotti, who relieved Blue Devils starter Mike Bennintend in the third inning, picked up the win after recording four outs.

Though the Tornado managed to make the game close, missed opportunities once again marked their defeat.

Over the last five innings of the game, Butler stranded eight runners, and the team committed four errors on the day.

The comeback attempt, unlike the game itself, was not lost on Zawrotuk.

"It would've been very easy to throw in the towel, with the way the game began today," he said. "But these kids fought back. This is what they need to see - that hard work can get you back into a game after a big deficit."

Trevor Dunkel pitched the final three innings for Butler. He struck out two, walked three and surrendered one hit in that span.

Mt. Lebanon 500 200 0 - 7 8 5

Butler 011 200 1 - 5 8 4

WP:

Mike Bennintend (2

IP) 0 strikeouts, 1 walk.

LP:

Brian Warheit (4 IP) 5 strikeouts, 2 walks

Mt. Lebanon (5-3):

Tucker Stobbe HR 3RBI, Tony DeFilippo 2-1B 2R 2SB, Jason Mageras 1B R, Brad Stombaugh R, Jared Steranka 1B SB, Eric Isler 2B R 2RBI, Greg Hall 1B, Dave Kliefgen R SB

Butler (0-6):

Aaron Ordy 1B 2RBI, Andy Onufrak 1B 2B, Jim McCaslin 1B HR SB, Adam Miller R, Anthony Pinto 1B, Brandon Johnston 1B R RBI, Anthony Slater 1B R, Joe Black R

Today:

Kiski Area @ Butler